Wednesday Harness Preview for 6/4/2014
by Ted Black
While thoroughbred fans might still be counting down the days until California Chrome seeks racing immortality by becoming the 12th horse to win the sport's coveted Triple Crown at Belmont Park on Saturday, harness racing fans will appreciate the warming trend on Wednesday evening as Harrington Raceway in Delaware offers a card highlighting the trotters.
The opening race on the card, however, is a non-winners of three races lifetime event for pacing fillies and mares. Ghost Like (Allan Davis), the likely favorite - she's been favored in five of her last seven outings and won three of them as the odds-on choice - will likely dip below even-money again in another tuneup for the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund elims and final here. The sophomore daughter of Bettor's Delight trained by Johnny Waite, faded to fourth after a first over journey last week but should atone this evening.
Drawing just to her inside is Stylish Lady (Michael Rossi), a four-year-old daughter of By A Length owned, bred and trained by George "Ronnie" Leager. Although winless in 16 starts this year, this Leager homebred has the rail and has won over the surface before. Last summer she captured the DSBF consolation on Governor's Day, one of her four victories in 19 outings last season as a sophomore.
Two races later in another non-winners of three event for pacing fillies and mares, look for Lounge Act (Victor Kirby) to garner most of the attention while starting from post five. The Cam's Card Shark filly has won her last two starts over the strip - both as the odds-on choice - for trainer Josh Green and will get plenty of backing here although she may not dip below even-money.
Caviart Savannah, whose lone victory in 15 tries this year was a stunner at Dover, has the rail and has been second twice and third twice in her last four. Selandia , a four-year-old No Pan Intended mare owned and trained by Jason Skinner, has been the beaten favorite in each of her last three starts and draws post six. Both merit upset possibilities and both will likely garner enough support to keep Lounge Act from dropping below even-money at post time.
One race later in the fourth, a non-winners of $7501 last five starts class for trotters, any number of the six starters could prevail. Bold Strike rallied from far back to win at Rosecroft last out and draws the rail here; Victory Nut has a win and two second-place finishes in five local starts since arriving from New York; Deliver Delovin narrowly prevailed last out and was second three times in four other local starts; Hit And Run has a win and two second-place finishes here, while Uwantapieceofme was third last out after winning two starts back.
In the fifth race, another non-winners of three races lifetime event for pacing fillies and mares, Desperate Crowds will likely be the favorite here, but Putnams Kream looks poised for the mild upset. The four-year-old Cookie Dough mare draws the rail after consecutive starts from post six and has enough speed to ensure a decent trip. She has finished second seven times in 17 starts this year, but her bridesmaid role should end this week.
One race later in the Open Handicap for trotters, the two best horses in the field were promptly assigned posts six and seven, respectively, but they may not necessarily dominate this event.
Traverse Seelster overcame a first over journey to win the Open last week for trainer Josh Green and will start from post six again, while NF Happenstance, a two-time winner of this event for trainer-driver Jack Parker, Jr. before finishing first and second, respectively, in two starts at Harrah's Philadelphia, returns to get assigned the seven hole. These two top trotters could finish one-two or an upstart could split them.
Cash On Delivery was a very good second last week after following Traverse Seelster's live cover through the last half-mile and should be able to work out a good trip again this week from post four. Just to his inside in Six Gun Hall, who double jumps into the Open for trainer Robert Shahan and just to the outside is Spunky Jack, who faded to third last week in the top class after cutting the mile while missing the week before. Either of them could split the top pair at a decent price.
One race later in the seventh, a non-winners of four races or $20,001 lifetime event for pacers, Tune Up (Tony Morgan) should prevail as the solid favorite from the rail although you do have to back a horse with caution that only owns one win from its last 41 starts and is 3 for 57 lifetime. Public Enemy (Jonathan Roberts) won here three starts back then drew posts seven and eight, respectively, for his last two before moving inside to the three hole this evening. He has been idle for three weeks, however, and figures to need the start.
While the next group of races seems largely unplayable, the finale should prove well worth the wait. This non-winners of four races or $20,001 lifetime class should come down to Pantheon Seelster (Montrell Teague) and Jimmy Rip. Pantheon Seelster ended a 16-race skid by winning last week and has the rail again, while Jimmy Rip raced very well in defeat on May 21 in his overdue seasonal debut for trainer John Cabot. Mr Bricks (Morgan) is not a total toss after a good effort last week in this class.
While thoroughbred fans might still be counting down the days until California Chrome seeks racing immortality by becoming the 12th horse to win the sport's coveted Triple Crown at Belmont Park on Saturday, harness racing fans will appreciate the warming trend on Wednesday evening as Harrington Raceway in Delaware offers a card highlighting the trotters.
The opening race on the card, however, is a non-winners of three races lifetime event for pacing fillies and mares. Ghost Like (Allan Davis), the likely favorite - she's been favored in five of her last seven outings and won three of them as the odds-on choice - will likely dip below even-money again in another tuneup for the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund elims and final here. The sophomore daughter of Bettor's Delight trained by Johnny Waite, faded to fourth after a first over journey last week but should atone this evening.
Drawing just to her inside is Stylish Lady (Michael Rossi), a four-year-old daughter of By A Length owned, bred and trained by George "Ronnie" Leager. Although winless in 16 starts this year, this Leager homebred has the rail and has won over the surface before. Last summer she captured the DSBF consolation on Governor's Day, one of her four victories in 19 outings last season as a sophomore.
Two races later in another non-winners of three event for pacing fillies and mares, look for Lounge Act (Victor Kirby) to garner most of the attention while starting from post five. The Cam's Card Shark filly has won her last two starts over the strip - both as the odds-on choice - for trainer Josh Green and will get plenty of backing here although she may not dip below even-money.
Caviart Savannah, whose lone victory in 15 tries this year was a stunner at Dover, has the rail and has been second twice and third twice in her last four. Selandia , a four-year-old No Pan Intended mare owned and trained by Jason Skinner, has been the beaten favorite in each of her last three starts and draws post six. Both merit upset possibilities and both will likely garner enough support to keep Lounge Act from dropping below even-money at post time.
One race later in the fourth, a non-winners of $7501 last five starts class for trotters, any number of the six starters could prevail. Bold Strike rallied from far back to win at Rosecroft last out and draws the rail here; Victory Nut has a win and two second-place finishes in five local starts since arriving from New York; Deliver Delovin narrowly prevailed last out and was second three times in four other local starts; Hit And Run has a win and two second-place finishes here, while Uwantapieceofme was third last out after winning two starts back.
In the fifth race, another non-winners of three races lifetime event for pacing fillies and mares, Desperate Crowds will likely be the favorite here, but Putnams Kream looks poised for the mild upset. The four-year-old Cookie Dough mare draws the rail after consecutive starts from post six and has enough speed to ensure a decent trip. She has finished second seven times in 17 starts this year, but her bridesmaid role should end this week.
One race later in the Open Handicap for trotters, the two best horses in the field were promptly assigned posts six and seven, respectively, but they may not necessarily dominate this event.
Traverse Seelster overcame a first over journey to win the Open last week for trainer Josh Green and will start from post six again, while NF Happenstance, a two-time winner of this event for trainer-driver Jack Parker, Jr. before finishing first and second, respectively, in two starts at Harrah's Philadelphia, returns to get assigned the seven hole. These two top trotters could finish one-two or an upstart could split them.
Cash On Delivery was a very good second last week after following Traverse Seelster's live cover through the last half-mile and should be able to work out a good trip again this week from post four. Just to his inside in Six Gun Hall, who double jumps into the Open for trainer Robert Shahan and just to the outside is Spunky Jack, who faded to third last week in the top class after cutting the mile while missing the week before. Either of them could split the top pair at a decent price.
One race later in the seventh, a non-winners of four races or $20,001 lifetime event for pacers, Tune Up (Tony Morgan) should prevail as the solid favorite from the rail although you do have to back a horse with caution that only owns one win from its last 41 starts and is 3 for 57 lifetime. Public Enemy (Jonathan Roberts) won here three starts back then drew posts seven and eight, respectively, for his last two before moving inside to the three hole this evening. He has been idle for three weeks, however, and figures to need the start.
While the next group of races seems largely unplayable, the finale should prove well worth the wait. This non-winners of four races or $20,001 lifetime class should come down to Pantheon Seelster (Montrell Teague) and Jimmy Rip. Pantheon Seelster ended a 16-race skid by winning last week and has the rail again, while Jimmy Rip raced very well in defeat on May 21 in his overdue seasonal debut for trainer John Cabot. Mr Bricks (Morgan) is not a total toss after a good effort last week in this class.
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