Top Selections at $28 And $24; Public’s Precise In Features; H2W Across-The-Board Strikes At 44 Percent

Our two big headline win prices were at Yonkers and Woodbine, both on the horses-to-watch list (H2W), while our personal features failed to defeat an accurate betting public.

Thursday’s features began at Freehold with one race from two selections. Braveheartedmillie scratched in Race 7. Stakeout ($3.80) was our first feature’s choice, finishing third at 23-1. The public’s second choice defeated Stakeout.

Friday, Jan. 27’s Yonkers affair was also beaten by a public choice. Fourth was Thisguysarockstar (12-1).

We suggested one horse in each of Miami Valley’s first Pick 3 of the evening Friday and public choices and a scratch slugged us again. In the first leg the public’s third favorite took aim late to win. Our choice, Keene Allure (5-1) dueled for the lead early and faded to ninth as the backfield closed.

In the second leg, we were sixth with Bookem (16-1), beaten by the public’s choice. Our third-leg suggestion, Togetherforever, scratched. The second choice won the last leg and the Pick 3 paid a measly $47.50.

Saturday, Jan. 28, we concentrated on the final program of the meeting at Charlottetown Driving Park. Our success that day came from a horse on the H2W list (see below). Favorites devoured our features, winning over Mr Macleod (7-2) and Alittleeastermagic (2-1).

All horses that did not win in our personal features (if not scratched) appear in the following week’s H2W list as second-time (noted: +) entries. Keep an eye on their second times around; more than a few come back to win.

On various Wednesday nights we tweet for TwinSpires Twitter members from @FrankCotolo –retweeted by @twinspires—and the raceway involved. Losers from each week will appear on the next week’s horses-to-watch (H2W) list unless they race before that blog is published, so watch for them returning to the races on days in between blogs. Watch for special tweets from raceways on various Wednesdays.

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas listed are included when a H2W horse finishes second with a race favorite or the first two finishers making up the exacta are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price or any or all of the prices are the same. This week, there were 50 active horses (a 14-percent win hit rate and a 44-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate).

Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place, show and exotic results occurring by press time but some horses race after the blog is posted (we list them the following week) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review is posted.

Winners

Deuces For Charity, $28.80, $13.00, $7.40, Yonkers
Mach Code, $24.70, $9.90, $6.80, Woodbine
Someone Like You, $11.60, $5.80, $3.50, Charlottetown
Rocknroll Jewell, $9.00, $4.40, $3.00, Miami
Jackson Brady, $7.60, $3.20, $2.80, Meadowlands
Wizard Of Art, $6.00, $3.40, $2.50, Monticello
Queens Lonely Earl, $3.80, $2.60, $2.60, Meadows

Seconds

King Of The Crop, $16.60, $7.20, Pompano
Joshuas Mercedes, $4.40, $3.60 (Exacta $6.80), Northfield
Major Matter, $4.30, $4.00 (Exacta $25.00), Yonkers
Never Ever Clever, $4.00, $2.60, Meadowlands
The Tominator, $3.90, $3.60 (Exacta $11.80), Charlottetown
Cenalta Cougar, $3.60, $2.60, Cal-Expo
Fat Boy, $3.20, $2.20, Freehold
Chips, $3.60, $2.80, Miami
Directing Traffic, $3.00, $2.20, Cal-Expo

Thirds

Barbarian, $6.40, Cal-Expo
Roll With Josie, $4.00, Yonkers
Musselsfrmbrussels, $3.80, Woodbine
Girls Girls Girls, $3.60, Cal-Expo
Meat Loaf, $2.40, Freehold
Jurgen Hanover, $2.10, Dover

News & Notes

Thursday, Jan. 26, driver Jason Bartlett won seven races at Yonkers, with one of those winners making the evening more than worth following the resident-New Yorker. Jason raced in all 10 events, costing a wagering follower $20 to make $95.70 for the evening. A huge flat-bet profit on Jason was due to the last of his seven winners. That horse paid $61.00 to win, which alone paid three times the investment in him for seven raced. He also had a $10.00 winner and padded the night’s gift to followers with horses worth $6.10, $5.60, $5.90, $4.30 and $3.80. Even without the top priced winner, Jason’s victories pulled off a profit.   

Speaking of Yonkers, once again the value of races is rising, which is bound to lure even more horsemen and their stock to the New York half-mile oval. Track officials announced that a new purse increase is on the way “very soon.” The purses are to be increased beginning with the race week of Monday, Feb. 6. They rise across the board, from $3,000-$5,000, putting the purses offered from $11,500 for lowest classes to $50,000 for the weekly Opens/Open Handicaps (currently $8,500 to $45,000).

It was 17 years ago when Blissfull Hall became Canada’s Horse of the Year and 17 years ago that he started his stud career. Now the lucrative pacer is put to pasture after concluding his years as a stallion. The son of Cambest finished his racing career in 1999 for trainer Ben Wallace. Blissfull Hall’s sophomore season recorded 15 wins from 23 starts and earnings around $1.32 million. He won pacing’s Triple Crown events—the Cane Pace, the Little Brown Jug and the Messenger. His offspring have combined earnings of around $72 million with 19 performers in 1:50 or better. His performers from breeding in Australia have earned more than $15 million with many still on the track. Now 21, Blissfull Hall’s stallion career ended Down Under.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances.

For Thom Pye cartoons, informative harness history and more, click here ~