Across-The-Board Shots Shine; Contenders Nail Exactas

Moving right along in the 2020 season, here is our Update, a report our hits and misses, from the first full week back to our regular publication schedule, covering our selected features from a gathering of tracks re-opening.


Thursday, June 4

Scioto features were accompanied by one at Charlottetown as Canada harness tracks began programs again.

At Charlottetown, the favorite beat our choice, Fear The Storm (9-2), which finished fourth for a spot in the superfecta. There’s more to come from this one, keep checking our blogs.

At Scioto we wound up with a favorite, winning with Stanford Court ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10) in one feature; Rockinallnightlong (38-1) finished eighth.

Then, the crowd (not in attendance, of course) won with their second choice. We finished seventh with Crowntime Pet (17-1) and eighth with Artful Dancer (3-1).


Friday, June 5

In the afternoon at Maine’s Scarborough, our first of two selected features went to the race favorite, while we finished fourth to complement the superfecta with Letsgetintotrouble (13-1).

The second Scarborough affair was looking good until JK Onaroll (7-1) broke making his best move to finish seventh as the field’s 5-1 shot scored best.

Our confidence in Capricornus ($2.40, $2,10) was near-perfect, since trainer Marcus Melander’s other entry beat us for first. That one was the race’s second favorite.


Saturday, June 6

An 8-1 trotter with a perfect trip out-gunned our Buen Camino (11-1), which fired well enough but dueled to get the lead and surrendered to finish fourth at The Meadowlands.

Up north at Woodbine/Mohawk (WoMo), the second choice won the opener, while our contender, Super Schissel (32-1) was powerless from start to an eighth-place finish.

We were alive with Steuben Hanover ($4.70, $3.20), who completed the $30.40 exacta with the crowd’s top choice.

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Exactas listed include a H2W horse finishing second to a race-favorite or if the first two finishers are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses are listed—a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices are correct (even when a show price exceeds a place price or all prices are the same).

Please note that some results reflect horses racing after the blog posts (they appear the following week).

This week, there were 46 active horses (a 9-percent win hit rate and a 37-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate).

Winners

HP Bruxelles, $8.60, $6.10, $3.80, Mohawk
Bait A Hook, $7.80, $3.00, $2.40, Northfield
Barley Up, $6.00, $4.20, $2.40, Northfield
Perfect Storm, $3.80, $2.90, $2.30, Mohawk


Seconds

Ardeen, $11.00, $5.80, Northfield
Our Royal Majesty, $8.80, $4.60 (Exacta $10.00), Scarborough
Hell On Wheels, $8.40, $6.20 (Exacta $23.30), Scioto
Rockinmydream, $6.40, $3.80, Northfield
Perfect Artist, $6.20, $3.40, Scioto
Zack Lee, $4.60, $3.40 (Exacta $18.40), Scarborough
Daylight Rush, $3.70, $2.80, Buffalo
Bo Master, $3.60, $2.60, Scarborough
Foundonabeach, $2.40, $2.10, Northfield


Thirds

Raylan Givens, $8.60, Buffalo
Bazing N, $4.40, Scoto
What A Hooligan, $3.80, Scarborough
Father Sarducci, $3.40, Meadowlands
Black Mamba AS, $2.20, Scioto
Supreme Mach N, $2.20, Northfield


NEWS & NOTES
 
All the fuss about how to handicap after the “harness hiatus” was moot, as the public, who did not speak to the issue as did the public handicappers, had a tight handle on what to do. This was evident from the first race at Scioto, when the harness returned. The betting public was out in full force, producing favorite after favorite, with their first three choices hitting the board. While the industry raved at the public’s participation, boasting record handles, the public handicappers never said another word about how to handicap going back to betting.

The New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) reprogrammed 2020 events, with three in June. Soph-trot fillies are at Tioga June 21; soph-trot colts go at Vernon on June 24; soph-pace colts are at Tioga on June 28; and soph-pace colts race at Yonkers on July 2. Most of these will be featured in our Preview editions.

Speaking of Yonkers, word on the street is qualifiers will be held on June 15 and June 16 and live racing is tentatively set for June 22, June 23 and June 25. “We take small steps back to normalcy," said SOA of NY President Joe Faraldo. “At the moment racing will be conducted three days per week and at reduced purses. Those days of the week are currently set for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.” Faraldo is a COVID-19 survivor.


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