Thursday Harness Preview for 4/3/2014
by Ted Black While one harness track will offer its best card of the week on Thursday, another is just giving an early glimpse of much bigger and better things to come over the next two nights.
Dover Downs typically offers its best card on Thursday evening and tonight's program is no exception. The track will host three divisions of the second round of Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund eliminations for three-year-old colt & gelding pacers as well as a bevy of quality overnight events for horses of varying ages and ability.
In Thursday's opener at Dover, look for Elite Awards to continue his winning ways in the first of three DSBF divisions for sophomore pacing colts. The Maryland-bred Powerful Toy gelding trained by David Rearic has certainly picked up where he left off last fall, only this time he should remain healthy enough to contest next Thursday's $100,000 final. A minor sickness prevented him from racing in the final as a two-year-old. Two races later in the third, a very competitive, non-winners of four races or $17,501 lifetime class for younger pacers, give Electrify another chance to prevail despite drawing the eight hole.
Although winless in eight starts this year, Electrify has raced well while second twice and third twice and was a very good third last week when Attack The Land captured this condition by two lengths in 1:53. At 6-1 on the morning line, he's worth the play.
Several races later in the seventh, the third DSBF split for sophomore pacing colts, both Bobbies Power Play and Art Retreat look poised for their first win of the campaign. Both arrive with a pair of second-place finishes from three starts and both were second in their opening round prelims, but Art Retreat had the misfortune of attempting to corrale Elite Awards and he may find this group more to his liking.
Several races later in the 11th, a solid non-winners of five races lifetime event, expect Ideal American to be the odds-on choice but give Show Stopping a chance to upset him. While Ideal American was second to the once-beaten Fire In The Belly two weeks ago, he did make a late break and that is always concerning. Show Stopping has been in good form of late for trainer Ron Dixon, Jr. and he looks ready for an 8-1 upset in this class.
Then several races later in the finale, look for Ourea Nourrir to garner his first win of the campaign in this non-winners of $9001 last six class for older pacers. Although winless in nine starts on the seasonm, Ourea Nourrir has been second three times including last week's game effort in this class behind Wee Brother N. There is plenty of speed inside of him from Main A Dieu Too and As Bad As Thunder which should help his cause.
Thursday's card at Yonkers Raceway in New York may lack the star power that fans will soon see on Friday evening for the Bluechip Matchmaker series for older pacing fillies and mares and again on Saturday for the third round of the ultra-tough George Morton Levy series for older pacers, but tonight's program offers a good range of playable options nevertheless.
In the second race on the card, a $20,000 claiming affair for trotters, look for the consistent Js Miss Linda to prevail perhaps as the slight favorite from post three. Last week she was a good second behind Alternate Thursdays who had the misfortune of drawing the dreaded eight hole in this event. Js Miss Linda has posted three wins and three second-place finishes from eight starts this year and should find the winner's again this evening.
Then much later in the 11th and final, look for Fall Toy to shed his mild bridesmaid status in this $25,000 claiming event for pacers. Last week he was a good third behind Northern Breakout and the pacesetting Cam's Oracle and this week Fall Toy should be able to dictate the tempo from post four with Cam's Oracle idle. He has won only once in nine starts this year, but Fall Toy has been second four times and third on three other occasions.
Dover Downs typically offers its best card on Thursday evening and tonight's program is no exception. The track will host three divisions of the second round of Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund eliminations for three-year-old colt & gelding pacers as well as a bevy of quality overnight events for horses of varying ages and ability.
In Thursday's opener at Dover, look for Elite Awards to continue his winning ways in the first of three DSBF divisions for sophomore pacing colts. The Maryland-bred Powerful Toy gelding trained by David Rearic has certainly picked up where he left off last fall, only this time he should remain healthy enough to contest next Thursday's $100,000 final. A minor sickness prevented him from racing in the final as a two-year-old. Two races later in the third, a very competitive, non-winners of four races or $17,501 lifetime class for younger pacers, give Electrify another chance to prevail despite drawing the eight hole.
Although winless in eight starts this year, Electrify has raced well while second twice and third twice and was a very good third last week when Attack The Land captured this condition by two lengths in 1:53. At 6-1 on the morning line, he's worth the play.
Several races later in the seventh, the third DSBF split for sophomore pacing colts, both Bobbies Power Play and Art Retreat look poised for their first win of the campaign. Both arrive with a pair of second-place finishes from three starts and both were second in their opening round prelims, but Art Retreat had the misfortune of attempting to corrale Elite Awards and he may find this group more to his liking.
Several races later in the 11th, a solid non-winners of five races lifetime event, expect Ideal American to be the odds-on choice but give Show Stopping a chance to upset him. While Ideal American was second to the once-beaten Fire In The Belly two weeks ago, he did make a late break and that is always concerning. Show Stopping has been in good form of late for trainer Ron Dixon, Jr. and he looks ready for an 8-1 upset in this class.
Then several races later in the finale, look for Ourea Nourrir to garner his first win of the campaign in this non-winners of $9001 last six class for older pacers. Although winless in nine starts on the seasonm, Ourea Nourrir has been second three times including last week's game effort in this class behind Wee Brother N. There is plenty of speed inside of him from Main A Dieu Too and As Bad As Thunder which should help his cause.
Thursday's card at Yonkers Raceway in New York may lack the star power that fans will soon see on Friday evening for the Bluechip Matchmaker series for older pacing fillies and mares and again on Saturday for the third round of the ultra-tough George Morton Levy series for older pacers, but tonight's program offers a good range of playable options nevertheless.
In the second race on the card, a $20,000 claiming affair for trotters, look for the consistent Js Miss Linda to prevail perhaps as the slight favorite from post three. Last week she was a good second behind Alternate Thursdays who had the misfortune of drawing the dreaded eight hole in this event. Js Miss Linda has posted three wins and three second-place finishes from eight starts this year and should find the winner's again this evening.
Then much later in the 11th and final, look for Fall Toy to shed his mild bridesmaid status in this $25,000 claiming event for pacers. Last week he was a good third behind Northern Breakout and the pacesetting Cam's Oracle and this week Fall Toy should be able to dictate the tempo from post four with Cam's Oracle idle. He has won only once in nine starts this year, but Fall Toy has been second four times and third on three other occasions.
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