Tuesday Harness Preview for 4/22/2014
by Ted Black
It may have taken the arrival of Easter weekend to finally ensure warmer temperatures for the remainder of the spring throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, but Tuesday evening a trio of harness tracks will seek to heighten the warming trend.
Tuesday evening Harrington Raceway in Delaware will offer a solid, 15-race program highlighting the pacing fillies and mares and several distaffers look like worthwhile plays on the half-mile oval.
In the third race on the card, a mid-level conditioned event for pacing mares, look for Mom's Toy to post the mild upset while starting from post three. This George "Ronnie" Leager homebred has typically done her best racing at the Harrington oval, including a victory in a DSBF final on Governor's Day at age three five years ago. Mom's Toy's main foes include No Bad Luck and Bluff's Real Deal, both of which have more gate speed than she does.
In the very next race on the card, a non-winners of $10,501 last five starts class for pacing fillies and mares, look for Keystone Rhythm and Angelwithanattitude to control this event from the outset and complete the exacta. Keystone Rhythm won two of four starts and took a mark of 1:52.2 at Dover, while Angelwithanattitude posted a solid 3-3-4 slate and $34,000 bankroll from 10 tries over the Delaware five-eighths mile oval.
Two races later in the featured Filly-Mare Open, give the nod to two durable distaffers who have been regulars in the tough Open Handicap at Dover Downs all winter. Paradise Lost has a modest 1-2-4 slate, but her lone victory was a 1:53.1 score at Dover and she spent much of the winter chasing Jeremes Sweetheart, Spend It All and the other Open mares there. Alice's Restaurant owns a 2-2-0 slate and 1:53.3 mark from 10 starts, but she has also faced a bevy of tough mares this season.
At Yonkers Raceway in New York, the famed half-mile oval is set to host the lucrative George Morton Levy Memorial and Bluechip Matchmaker series finals this Saturday evening, but the Tuesday program is highlighted by younger trotters competing in the SOA of New York bonus series.
In the second race on the card, look for Monroe County to benefit from his rail draw and emerge victorious in this SOA division. Last week he raced first over and finished third in a very good try, but this week he should be able to sit a much better trip and possibly reach the winner's circle.
One race later in the third, the second SOA division, a trio of trotters makes this event very intriguing. Itzaziam benefited from a pocket trip last week en route to a two-length score in 1:59.3, his fourth win in 10 tries this year. Born To Flight prevailed last week for the second time in five outings this year and draws the rail, while Muscle On Broadway was second behind series favorite Bambino Glide and starts from post four tonight.
Speaking of Bambino Glide, the Julie Miller trainee will start from post four in the 10th and should prevail as the odds-on choice with Daniel Dube again subbing for the injured Andy Miller. Bambino Glide owns a solid 4-1-1 slate, a mark of 1:52.2 at The Meadowlands and $45,000 bankroll from seven starts this year and cruised home last week in 1:57.3.
Two trotters that he could face in the final also drew in with him this evening. Little Bit Lies, who owns a 3-3-1 slate and mark of 1:57 on a half-mile oval in 10 starts this year, has the rail and plenty of early speed. Likewise, Wisenheimer, who was second to Bambino Glide two weeks ago before rebounding to score last week in wire-to-wire fashion, has a 2-1-1 slate and 1:54.4 mark and merits respect in the prelims and finals.
Tuesday's card at Rosecroft also appears to have several playable races. In the opener, look for either Osceola Gold or Gone Nuclear to prevail despite starting from posts seven and eight, respectively, in this $8/$10,000 claiming handicap. Osceola Gold has won four straight - albeit last week via the disqualification - and can win from on the pace or well off of it.
In the second race on the card, the track's weekly Filly-Mare Open, look for Megs Breeze to notch her fifth straight tally for the father-son, trainer-driver tandem of William "Bib" Roberts and Jonathan Roberts. Megs Breeze has won all four of her starts this year and sports a seasonal mark of 1:52.3 and is already on the short list of pacers being considered for the track's spring meet champion. Together Again steps up into the Open off a sharp score last week and bears using in the exotics.
Several races later in the seventh, a non-winners of $5000 last five starts for older pacers, look for Shady Breeze and Benns Shotgun to complete the exacta. Shady Breeze is accustomed to facing much tougher in his career and owns a stellar 1:50 mark, while Benns Shotgun has been very good in each of his two starts over the oval. He won two starts back despite racing first over into a quick back half and last week was simply unlucky when rallying late to finish third.
Then in the eighth, the Open for older male pacers, expect Winbak Carl to go postward as the favorite off his first over win in this class last week. But a trio of horses look poised to upset him. Varsity Hanover has raced well over the last month and has always thrived at this oval and gets the nod here, while Lislea Pat and Talbot Redneck step up into the top class off good recent wins.
It may have taken the arrival of Easter weekend to finally ensure warmer temperatures for the remainder of the spring throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, but Tuesday evening a trio of harness tracks will seek to heighten the warming trend.
Tuesday evening Harrington Raceway in Delaware will offer a solid, 15-race program highlighting the pacing fillies and mares and several distaffers look like worthwhile plays on the half-mile oval.
In the third race on the card, a mid-level conditioned event for pacing mares, look for Mom's Toy to post the mild upset while starting from post three. This George "Ronnie" Leager homebred has typically done her best racing at the Harrington oval, including a victory in a DSBF final on Governor's Day at age three five years ago. Mom's Toy's main foes include No Bad Luck and Bluff's Real Deal, both of which have more gate speed than she does.
In the very next race on the card, a non-winners of $10,501 last five starts class for pacing fillies and mares, look for Keystone Rhythm and Angelwithanattitude to control this event from the outset and complete the exacta. Keystone Rhythm won two of four starts and took a mark of 1:52.2 at Dover, while Angelwithanattitude posted a solid 3-3-4 slate and $34,000 bankroll from 10 tries over the Delaware five-eighths mile oval.
Two races later in the featured Filly-Mare Open, give the nod to two durable distaffers who have been regulars in the tough Open Handicap at Dover Downs all winter. Paradise Lost has a modest 1-2-4 slate, but her lone victory was a 1:53.1 score at Dover and she spent much of the winter chasing Jeremes Sweetheart, Spend It All and the other Open mares there. Alice's Restaurant owns a 2-2-0 slate and 1:53.3 mark from 10 starts, but she has also faced a bevy of tough mares this season.
At Yonkers Raceway in New York, the famed half-mile oval is set to host the lucrative George Morton Levy Memorial and Bluechip Matchmaker series finals this Saturday evening, but the Tuesday program is highlighted by younger trotters competing in the SOA of New York bonus series.
In the second race on the card, look for Monroe County to benefit from his rail draw and emerge victorious in this SOA division. Last week he raced first over and finished third in a very good try, but this week he should be able to sit a much better trip and possibly reach the winner's circle.
One race later in the third, the second SOA division, a trio of trotters makes this event very intriguing. Itzaziam benefited from a pocket trip last week en route to a two-length score in 1:59.3, his fourth win in 10 tries this year. Born To Flight prevailed last week for the second time in five outings this year and draws the rail, while Muscle On Broadway was second behind series favorite Bambino Glide and starts from post four tonight.
Speaking of Bambino Glide, the Julie Miller trainee will start from post four in the 10th and should prevail as the odds-on choice with Daniel Dube again subbing for the injured Andy Miller. Bambino Glide owns a solid 4-1-1 slate, a mark of 1:52.2 at The Meadowlands and $45,000 bankroll from seven starts this year and cruised home last week in 1:57.3.
Two trotters that he could face in the final also drew in with him this evening. Little Bit Lies, who owns a 3-3-1 slate and mark of 1:57 on a half-mile oval in 10 starts this year, has the rail and plenty of early speed. Likewise, Wisenheimer, who was second to Bambino Glide two weeks ago before rebounding to score last week in wire-to-wire fashion, has a 2-1-1 slate and 1:54.4 mark and merits respect in the prelims and finals.
Tuesday's card at Rosecroft also appears to have several playable races. In the opener, look for either Osceola Gold or Gone Nuclear to prevail despite starting from posts seven and eight, respectively, in this $8/$10,000 claiming handicap. Osceola Gold has won four straight - albeit last week via the disqualification - and can win from on the pace or well off of it.
In the second race on the card, the track's weekly Filly-Mare Open, look for Megs Breeze to notch her fifth straight tally for the father-son, trainer-driver tandem of William "Bib" Roberts and Jonathan Roberts. Megs Breeze has won all four of her starts this year and sports a seasonal mark of 1:52.3 and is already on the short list of pacers being considered for the track's spring meet champion. Together Again steps up into the Open off a sharp score last week and bears using in the exotics.
Several races later in the seventh, a non-winners of $5000 last five starts for older pacers, look for Shady Breeze and Benns Shotgun to complete the exacta. Shady Breeze is accustomed to facing much tougher in his career and owns a stellar 1:50 mark, while Benns Shotgun has been very good in each of his two starts over the oval. He won two starts back despite racing first over into a quick back half and last week was simply unlucky when rallying late to finish third.
Then in the eighth, the Open for older male pacers, expect Winbak Carl to go postward as the favorite off his first over win in this class last week. But a trio of horses look poised to upset him. Varsity Hanover has raced well over the last month and has always thrived at this oval and gets the nod here, while Lislea Pat and Talbot Redneck step up into the top class off good recent wins.
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