Adios Arguments For Final; Big Delaware Dollars For Sophs; Young Trotters In Trials For Peter Haughton, Jim Doherty Stakes At Meadowlands

The 2019 Adios Final is the penultimate feature on the Grand Circuit (GC) stop before the Meadowlands and the orbiting stakes of the Hambletonian. This week, the Hambletonian Oaks elims are covered on our Hambletonian Trail blog, while GC action at the Meadows and other strong-betting features adorn this preview edition. More sires-stakes for sophs on both gaits, frosh-classics’ elims for the Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty trots and state-bred finals at Harrington are among the events we address. More freshman activity for your consideration is included in the TwinSpires horses-to-watch (H2W) list at the bottom of every preview blog. Our exclusive studies of green horses presents valuable choices to increase your tickets’ prices in any type of bet. Do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections. HOOSIER HOMIES TROTTER TRIALS More Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) action is underway on the July 25 program, these for soph-colt trotters (leg four). More than $47,000 in each split is for the taking. In the first INSS field, two standouts will attract the bucks. Wow Lester and Airtime Lin bring strong stats to the state-bred leg. If the public splits their investments between them, we could get a fair price on Smooth Aceleration. This is only his fifth start, two of which he won and the two top ones won’t intimidate him; he can race faster and they make provoke his improvement. The second INSS for the division has a few entries that will split the favorite-betting interests. It’s A Herbie is the most obvious, with top earnings in the field and a single loss in five starts. There are solid arguments for a few others, and one of them is our value shot. Sign Here N Here, a Hambletonian-eligible, may not be going to the big dance in two weeks, but in his home territory he has been improving enough to excel in the division. He will offer an undeserved high price here and is worth it. THE DELAWARE GAP FIRST STATE FINALS State-bred sophomores compete in four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund finals on July 25 at Harrington, bringing together the finest within the borders of the First State. By division, here are our suggested contenders: Soph-filly pacers The outside post may be no factor in a top performance by In And Out Again, who is the obvious division leader here. Our major threat, however, is Roddys At It Again. Seven firsts and seconds in nine starts shows her prowess, which could ignite under these circumstances and at a price. Soph-filly trotters Although Disco Soliel sucks up the most chances in the win pool, we take a shot with Dark Dutchess, a Jack Parker product that could steal this on the engine. Soph-colt pacers Chillaxin Away has what it takes to dominate this field but the public has had continued faith in Goldberg and will invest in him against his homebred kind. If the scales tip for Golberg, Chillazin Away will bring a fair price and perform excellently doing so. Soph-colt trotters Beating Embrace The Grind has not been successful for division members. He won five of seven—but otherwise, he finished off the board. Those two losses lead us to Go Jetem. His 33-percent win figure won’t match that of “The Grind” but could improve with a strong trip here. JAMES DOHERTY MEMORIAL FILLIES FACE ELIMS At $20,000 a clip, three elims for frosh-filly trotters gather a slew of kiddies on July 26 to decide next week’s final at the Meadowlands. In the first elim there is a pair of gals attracting bettors that bookend the eight-horse field. On the inside is Spoiled Princess, a Trixton product, already boasting $38,000-plus in earnings. On the outside is Hypnotic AM with a thousand more in the bank, though she has not lost yet. Father Patrick represents only one filly—Impressive Fashion. Jim Campbell’s conditioned daughter of the great trotter has won one of three and need be taken very seriously here—not just because she is our main contender for a bet, either. In round two, only three sires contribute products to the eight-filly field. Per Engblom’s Trixton gal, Jula Champagne, should share the public’s fancy with Sans Defaut, from Ron Burke’s barn. Inbetween, we will go with Julie Miller’s Word Of Honor, one of two Father Patrick girls. The third “Doherty” elim also sends eight to the gate. First to catch our eye is a Kadabra kid, She Must Be Magic. Frosh-filly trotters from one of the greatest contemporary trotters (who did not race in the Hambletonian simply because his connections forgot to make a certain payment—duh) are always good wagers and we are on this one all the way for price and purpose. PETER HAUGHTON MEMORIAL COLTS IN CONTROL Two $20,000 elims are on board July 26 for the frosh-colt trotters who want to get into the final and become the early 2020 Hambletonian favorite (a traditional position). There has never been any easy way to forecast two-year-old trotters racing for the most money they may ever see in a purse, but take our suggested contenders into serious consideration considering our record with green pacers and trotters through the years. In the first chapter, a single colt by Cantab Hall is a standout for us, and not just because he is trained by Marcus Melander. Indeed, it is the sire, not the trainer that draws us to Capricornus. As the lone product of this great trotting sire (better at siring than at racing), Capricornus towers in prospect above the youngsters here. More than that can only be proven as the season ensues. In the second “Haughton” elim there are nine on the gate. Sons of Muscle Hill dominate this field. Melander has three of them. Jim Campbell’s Real Cool Sam is a Muscle Hill that comes into this unbeaten in three races. There is a single Father Patrick property here—Dublin. Trained by Burke, Dublin has placed twice in his short career. We could get a decent price on him, better than Burke’s other colt, one of the Muscle Hills. ADIOO VOLO FILLY FLOWERS The feminine Race for the Orchids features nine soph-filly pacers in two $60,000 splits on July 27 at the Meadows. In the first split, the “now” filly, Stonebridge Soul, certainly has to be a big choice across the board. She is in a good space and has been racing her best recently. Treacherous Reign has lost some ground to her as a division leader but will be well supported here. Then there’s Odds On St Lucie. She was very good against “Soul” and will be the longest of odds in the trio. Those odds will be larger than her chances, making her our choice. The second nine Adioo gals may be a good time to back Warrawee Ubeaut, who gets post 9 and has recently slowed her early-season rise to dominance. Due mostly to the public disdain for outside posts, “Ubeat” could reach overlay status. Also in the mix should be Alii Nui. Competitive, earning well, and in a good spot here, do not be surprised if she upsets. For sure we won’t ignore her as sound exotic material. THE ADIOS PACE At the Meadows on July 27, the Race for the Orchids is a good betting race. Of course, most Adios finals in the past decade have appeared to be good betting races after the draws but have turned into bores for anyone looking to find an outsider. For chalk players, however, it can turn into an event disguised as a financial victory, since a favorite will dominate the final easily, thus paying virtually nothing to win. For the majority, the feeling of being a winner is usually enough to make the bet worth it. That kind of result, for those of us in a profit state of mind, is not acceptable. We would rather pass. Looking at the nine-horse field in the 2019 edition and reading that the track handicapper has made Southwind Ozzi the favorite may once again fool us into looking at another, more fruitful outcome to bet upon. The eliminations were each won by favorites; could that be a forecast all its own? We say no, no and no again to Southwind Ozzi. We are ready to walk out on the dangerous limb and go against him. Even Prince Of Tides, who will get a bunch of money from winning his elim (as the favorite and as the horse guided by Dave Palone, patron saint driver of the Meadows) would have been a better favorite forecast. Other low-priced attractions will most likely include Wild Wild Western and Captain Victorious. We are left with two horses we backed in the elims and are here for a shot at the orchids—Branquinho and Stag Party. Branquinho almost made it from post 7 last week, finishing a close second that paid double digits to place and boosted the exacta with the big favorite, Captain Victorious, first. In the final he is strapped with post 8. However, he may be that good as to overcome it and topple the mainstream handicappers here at a generous upset price. As well, Stag Party lost favor with the public but has been earning well and will show his best stuff sometime soon. Perhaps this is the race? We would not be surprised. For sure, these are the two pacers we can back without losing sleep if we pass and one wins. Should the usual Adios scenario surface, then we hope the chalk players enjoy the feeling of winning, even if their bankrolls ignore financial success. H2W Legend Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last) time because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires. H2W LIST Batavia 7/27/19, +Grantor Hanover R9; Nesh Cruiser R9 Hawthorne 7/25/19, Kinoski R3 7/26/19, +Parklane Official ae R8; Franksnativewestern R10 Hoosier 7/25/19, Clever Character R12; +General Doug A R13; +Power Of Tell R13 7/26/19, Yankee Bounty R4; Gazing Star R10 Meadowlands 7/26/19, Joe Joe Joe R8; Mother Teresa R10 Meadows 7/26/19, Drop The Post R2 7/27/19, +Sweet Camille R2; Miss Kendra D R8; Berry Kay R9 Monticello 7/25/19, +Hot Seat ae R5; +It’s Rigged R5; Acton Onelasttime R7 Northfield 7/26/19, Natures Dream R6; +Betty Barley R10; +Electric Ridge R13 7/27/19, +Mayabelle R16 Philly 7/25/19, Ireland R3; Hollow Talk R6 Plainridge 7/25/19, Harmony Oaks Quike R7 7/26/19, Impulse Hall R5; +HS Marcia R6 Red Mile 7/26/19, Reckless Sergeant R3; Hamburg R8 7/27/19, Easeondowntheroad R2; Star Chaser R5 Rideau-Carleton 7/25/19, +The Girls Of Image R8 Running Aces 7/27/19, +Muscle Almighty R7 7/28/19, +Skim The Top R10 Scarborough 7/25/19, +Beach Maverick R2; Bear King R5; Holy Grail N R7 Scioto 7/25/19, +Lots To Live For R9; +Peck Blue Chip R11 Tioga 7/27/19, +Joey Pro R4; +Connie Keeper R9 Vernon 7/26/19, +Sexy Wow R5; If Not Why Not R10 Yonkers 7/25/19, Topspin S R5; Blue And Bold R7; Wind Blast R11 7/27/19, +The Real One R6