Tuesday harness preview
While many sports enthusiasts will be eager to see the opening game of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday evening, standardbred fans will focus their attention on competitive cards tonight at both Harrington and Rosecroft Raceways.
Tuesday's card at Harrington Raceway in Delaware is designed to highlight the pacing fillies and mares of all ages, many of which will be looking to end the meet in style this evening. Thursday is the last night of live racing at the current Harrington fall meet, with many of the participants likely headed slightly north to Dover Downs for the extended fall-spring meet that gets underway on Sunday, November 2.
In the second race on the card this evening, a non-winners of $7501 last four starts/optional $20,000 claiming event for pacing fillies and mares, look for Itz Cherry Ripe N (Jim Morand) to make immediate amends for a second-place finish as the 6-5 favorite. This durable Jeff Clark trainee has faced tougher over the years and should gain command soon after the start and cap the meet with a victory this evening.
Then one race later in the first half of the split non-winners of $80,000 lifetime class for pacing fillies and mares, give Lounge Act (Victor Kirby) the edge despite missing her start on 10/14. Lounge Act has been the odds-on favorite in each of her last three outings for Kirby and has scored twice. She has plenty of versatility, but her best efforts have typically come when Kirby puts her on the lead before the half.
Then two races later on the card in the other half of the split non-winners of $80,000 lifetime class for distaffers, look for Hit By Lightning (Allan Davis) to prevail. Second in her most recent outing after winning two starts back, Hit By Lightning has typically done her best racing her while first over. Despite the tough task, Hit By Lightning has performed well at the meet and she should end it with another gritty score here.
Then one race later in the $18,000 Filly-Mare Open, any one of three durable distaffers could prevail in the evening's feature. Jeremes Sweetheart (Kirby) was second at Harrah's Philadelphia last out and boasts the sharpest Open tally here with a 1:52 score on Sep. 23. Embassy Seelster (Davis) rallied from well off the pace to finish second last week despite starting from post eight, while Paradise Lost arrives with a four-race win streak that includes two straight tallies in the Open.
That same evening at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, the five-eighths mile oval offers another solid card that features a trio of very competitive Open events at the midway point of the program.
In the seventh, the $10,000 Open 2 for pacing fillies and mares, at least two-thirds of the nine starters have to be considered. Rocket Rosy (Frank Milby), Together Again (Tony Morgan), Clear View Hanover (Henrik Lundell), Hillbilly Desire (Corey Braden), Rockin Belle (Jonathan Roberts) and Shaker Rei (John Gazzerro) all merit respect. Clear View Hanover easily won the first and only edition of the Open 2 on Sep. 16.
Then one race later in the $10,000 Open 2 for pacing males, nearly all of the starters have a serious chance at success. Lyons Meandragon (Roger Plante, Jr.) has won the last two times he has been in this class. Hi Sir (Russell Foster) won at this level two starts back. Varsity Hanover (Tony Morgan) has won two conditioned events at the meet, including a sharp, seven-length score in 1:51.2 last week. I Wanna Go Fast (Donnie Russell), Megs Boy (Roberts), Movie Idol (Milby) and Jeremes General (Mike Beaver) all drop out of the $13,000 Open 1 which was not carded this week.
Then one race later in the $8500 Open 3 for pacers, a quartet of starters have to be used in some fashion. Game Day drops out of the Open 1 and owns a sharp score against non-winners of $5000 last five company. Main A Dieu Too has won twice against conditioned foes here, while Caviart Tyler (Roberts) was a sharp second in the Open 2 last week and gets a slight drop. Fancy Colt (Morgan) gets the biggest class relief, however, having competed in the Open 1 twice and the Open 2 twice without much success.
Tuesday's card at Harrington Raceway in Delaware is designed to highlight the pacing fillies and mares of all ages, many of which will be looking to end the meet in style this evening. Thursday is the last night of live racing at the current Harrington fall meet, with many of the participants likely headed slightly north to Dover Downs for the extended fall-spring meet that gets underway on Sunday, November 2.
In the second race on the card this evening, a non-winners of $7501 last four starts/optional $20,000 claiming event for pacing fillies and mares, look for Itz Cherry Ripe N (Jim Morand) to make immediate amends for a second-place finish as the 6-5 favorite. This durable Jeff Clark trainee has faced tougher over the years and should gain command soon after the start and cap the meet with a victory this evening.
Then one race later in the first half of the split non-winners of $80,000 lifetime class for pacing fillies and mares, give Lounge Act (Victor Kirby) the edge despite missing her start on 10/14. Lounge Act has been the odds-on favorite in each of her last three outings for Kirby and has scored twice. She has plenty of versatility, but her best efforts have typically come when Kirby puts her on the lead before the half.
Then two races later on the card in the other half of the split non-winners of $80,000 lifetime class for distaffers, look for Hit By Lightning (Allan Davis) to prevail. Second in her most recent outing after winning two starts back, Hit By Lightning has typically done her best racing her while first over. Despite the tough task, Hit By Lightning has performed well at the meet and she should end it with another gritty score here.
Then one race later in the $18,000 Filly-Mare Open, any one of three durable distaffers could prevail in the evening's feature. Jeremes Sweetheart (Kirby) was second at Harrah's Philadelphia last out and boasts the sharpest Open tally here with a 1:52 score on Sep. 23. Embassy Seelster (Davis) rallied from well off the pace to finish second last week despite starting from post eight, while Paradise Lost arrives with a four-race win streak that includes two straight tallies in the Open.
That same evening at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, the five-eighths mile oval offers another solid card that features a trio of very competitive Open events at the midway point of the program.
In the seventh, the $10,000 Open 2 for pacing fillies and mares, at least two-thirds of the nine starters have to be considered. Rocket Rosy (Frank Milby), Together Again (Tony Morgan), Clear View Hanover (Henrik Lundell), Hillbilly Desire (Corey Braden), Rockin Belle (Jonathan Roberts) and Shaker Rei (John Gazzerro) all merit respect. Clear View Hanover easily won the first and only edition of the Open 2 on Sep. 16.
Then one race later in the $10,000 Open 2 for pacing males, nearly all of the starters have a serious chance at success. Lyons Meandragon (Roger Plante, Jr.) has won the last two times he has been in this class. Hi Sir (Russell Foster) won at this level two starts back. Varsity Hanover (Tony Morgan) has won two conditioned events at the meet, including a sharp, seven-length score in 1:51.2 last week. I Wanna Go Fast (Donnie Russell), Megs Boy (Roberts), Movie Idol (Milby) and Jeremes General (Mike Beaver) all drop out of the $13,000 Open 1 which was not carded this week.
Then one race later in the $8500 Open 3 for pacers, a quartet of starters have to be used in some fashion. Game Day drops out of the Open 1 and owns a sharp score against non-winners of $5000 last five company. Main A Dieu Too has won twice against conditioned foes here, while Caviart Tyler (Roberts) was a sharp second in the Open 2 last week and gets a slight drop. Fancy Colt (Morgan) gets the biggest class relief, however, having competed in the Open 1 twice and the Open 2 twice without much success.
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