Harness Racing: Hambletonian Stakes Serenade

Likely the biggest universal harness program is the star-studded Hambletonian at The Meadowlands on Aug. 7. Betting opportunities for stakes are aplenty, and throughout North America there are hundreds of overnights up for action. Be sure your TwinSpires account is locked and loaded this weekend.

Always eclectic and to the point is our never-ending TwinSpires H2W (horses-to-watch list). With ceaseless arrogance it continues suggesting how to enhance your exotic combinations and fair-priced win, place and show finishes.

HIT IT & SPLIT IT

Thursday, July 29
Hoosier

This Thursdays at TwinSpires, Aug. 5, the early Pick 4 at Hoosier Park is a $2,000 Hit It And Split It exclusive deal for the last time. Click for details: https://www.twinspires.com/bet/offers/details

This Thursday we offer candidates for your early Pick-4 tickets covering races 3—6.
Race 3: Lees Creek Flash
Race 4: Sassy Cindy; Can This Be Real
Race 5: JKs Valentine
Race 6: Ahdoughnolum; Heartland Revenue

DOHERTY DARLINGS

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

The first nine finishers from the one-race elim are back for the $326k Jim Doherty Final for frosh-filly trotters. We are unclear why Mon Cheval, our choice in the elim, was the favorite, especially leaving from post 10, but it was strong support for her success as well as for the fact that the public rejected a few true contenders (including winner Joviality S) on the inside.

This time, favorite or not, Mon Cheval should fully engage in commanding the mile. Other than the winner, none of the others gained any ground no matter their launching post. Melander’s Joviality S will be the other factor but there is no leaving out Takter’s beaten favorite in the elim.

PETER-SPOTTING

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

Ray Schnittker’s King of the North will undoubtedly attract the bulk of the book in the $293 Peter Haughton Memorial Final. Still, he faces another similar-style colt in the final from Robertsin, who won the second elim. What we need hope for betting is that these two will burn one another out or lose a step or two doing so and give us a victory with Marcus Melander’s Letsdoit S.

Melander lost major activity in the big show when Dancinginthedark M went Gallopingunderthelights [sic] in the elim, but Letsdoit S is not going to weep in his stall when he is in the Hambo of the freshman kind. In fact, the best case scenario has the pair of speedsters fizzling, not sizzling, and leaving the place spot open with Letsdoit S doing the win. In that case, we like Fast As the Wind to blow in second (or to box if the odds are right—my call as well as your call.

HAMBLETONIAN

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

Taking the August classic seriously as a wager demands we make a personal odds line (POL). We have done that, making our line equal 100 points as opposed to the morning-line’s 130 points. Here is the line, followed by comment.

1-Delayed Hanover 9-2
2-Take All Comers 16-1
3-Spy Booth 15-1
4-Captain Corey 5-1
5-Locatelli 30-1
6-Sonofamistery 7-2
7-Really Fast 6-1
8-Venerate 6-1
9-Ambassador Hanover 20-1
10-Cuatro De Julio 30-1

Top contenders in odds order: Sonofamistery / Delayed Hanover / Captain Corey / Really Fast / Venerate.

By strict money-management rules, we do not play any horse we have given less than a 14 percent (6-1) chance to win. Our decision to play any of our contenders is based upon the odds posted the closest to post time.

H-FILLY OAKS

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

The sister version, the $500k Hambletonian Oaks, is for fillies and this year looks on paper to be a difficult field to measure. Who was fit and ready in the elims (both longshot winners) and returns may very well be moot in the mile. We have liked Piper Hanover all season and would love to get something near the morning-line 8-1 on her.

CANE PACE

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

There are surprisingly only seven in the field for the $276k Cane Pace. All of them are recognizable, but some other soph-colt pacers have passed the one-time staple event for the division. Of the attendees, One Eight Hundred gets our support, having the best shot at winning again (he is 6-for-11) after taking on the large fields consisting of his toughest rivals. He may not be the favorite, though, since Perfect Sting lines up with this group and should be carrying most of the win money on his back after last week’s easy win in a Tompkins-Geers division (covered nationally by yours truly).

SPEEDY LADY

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

Everyone is reaching into their pockets to beat Lyons Sentinel since she wiped up with a record speed mile. In the $191k Lady Liberty mare pace it will be no different. We will be as loyal to the mare we have been following with some success and feel will have a good chance at a good price to upset in this feature. Nik Drennan’s Gia’s Surreal has finished on the board nine of 16 times and will not be given the respect she deserves on a hot afternoon in August. That gives us price and purpose to back her again.

SAM THE MAN

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

It still seem strange that our professional comrade, Sam McKee, is a part of the Hambletonian program -- in name only -- but in his honor, again, is the $157k Sam McKee Memorial for older pacers.

Nicholas Beach was monstrous last week and faces his usual suspects of defeat in this event for veteran pacers. Even from post 8 it is impossible to leave him out of a photo finish—at least. There will be some financial backing for Catch the Fire, coming off of a win last week, and American History, fastest pacing mile of that sizzling program, but the true outsider with a shot is Angers Bayama. We like him at a big price as a “Pick-ticket” spoiler who will get a super trip as the others shuffle and duel in the afternoon heat.

CASH-MANCHEGO

Saturday, Aug. 7
Meadowlands

Here’s a swell group of older trotters that usually open their eyes widely in the stretch as Manchego flees the scene, so to speak. With a $269k purse, your challenge is to target the trotter whose zodiac is in tune with an opportunity during the mile that no one could have predicted would do in Manchego.

H2W LIST

Meadowlands
8/7/21, Staycation Hanover R2; +Ethan T Hanover R3; Chaptiama R8

Meadows
8/5/21, JL Choochootrain R3; Sir Cromwell R6; Redwhite N Goo R10

Northfield
8/7/21, +Play To The Crowd R3; Squirt R6; +Diamondtequilashot R13

Philly
8/5/21, Donzel Hanover R4

Plainridge
8/6/21, +Gertrude Hanover R4; Happy Hooligan R6; Broadway Giant R7

Pocono
8/7/21, Classy Hill R8; Foreverhillreign R9; PL Munson R11

Running Aces
8/5/21, Oneida Blue Chip R7; Brians Magic Girl R8; Outlawintriguedbyu R9

Scioto
8/6/21, RJZ First Lady R14
8/7/21, Best Shot N R3; +Lous Delight R4; Grantmeawish R5; Franzo R15

Vernon
8/7/21, Denton R 1; +Dreamlands Art R2; Doin The Most R2; +Im A Chloe R3; Jericho Willie R4; +Boys Turn R10

Yonkers
8/6/21, Forevernalways R4