An $82 Miami Pick, Cold $61 Monticello Exacta Headline Week
Thursday, Jan. 2
We were on the attack at Flamboro; our contributions mixed into two-three- and four-digit exotics from our Power Plays (PoP) contenders.
The Pick 4’s first leg, Race 2, resulted in a winner with Acefortyfour Pat ($8.50, $4.40, $3.20) and a third, Whozyomomma ($2.60). That was two for three in the $154.60 trifecta and two for four in the superfecta, paying $281.25 (all superfectas’ base price is $1.00). Our third choice, Topsill Beach (26-1) finished seventh.
Two for two in the Pick 4 kept the ticket alive with the winner Bankroll ($12.60, $5.10, $3.30). Our other choice, Gody Orleans (7-1), finished fourth, so both choices joined to assist in a $499.90 superfecta.
Our Pick-4 ticket died with leg three, Race 5, and neither of our contenders were involved in any exotic. Motor Dame (8-1) finished fifth and Onimpulse (19-1) finished seventh.
Race 6 was won by the public’s first choice and when our contender, Cabernet ($10.60, $7.50) finished second, a $105.90 exacta came back for the combo. Another of our choices, Shad (5-2), was a member of the superfecta, finishing fourth. Our two in the four helped return a superfecta worth $2,377.80.
The Win (Pick) 4 included our first two winners and returned $2,065.10.
Friday, Jan. 3
At Cal-Expo we picked up the first-race winner, Timetoplaythegame ($9.60, $5.00, $3.00) but the other contender, Special Sauce (41-1) raced to his odds.
In the other features race we chose, Platinum Time (17-1) finished fourth, while Cenalta Dragster checked in sixth.
Saturday, Jan. 4
At Northfield our Daily Double was snowed in, causing a blinding condition that stumped the chart maker. Our contender, Opaline Blue Chip (21-1), gained too late in the stretch while avoiding two breakers that finished third in a dead heat. The crowd’s second choice won the race; the favorite was one of the two finishers in third.
We were shooting for a Sam Schillaci-trained Daily Double but even though he won the second half of the Daily Double, he did so with another horse, not our Schillaci choice. So, Miss Dollar Mam (24-1) finished seventh to Schillaci’s 6-1 entry. Miss Dollar Mam raced aggressively out of the gate, leading the pack (used sixth to the first quarter) until caught by five in the late stretch.
H2W LIST RESULTS
The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas listed are included when a H2W horse finishes second with a race favorite or the first two finishers making up the exacta are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price or any or all of the prices are the same. This week, there were 27 active horses (a 11-percent win hit rate and a 26-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate).
Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place, show and exotic results occurring by press time but some horses race after the blog is posted (we list them the following weeks) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review.
Winners
Elysium Seelster, $82.80, $29.00, $11.40, Miami
*The Cataomount Kid, $12.00, $6.60, $3.60, Monticello
Cierras Choice, $6.00, $3.80, $2.60, Dover
Seconds
Bringer Of Rain, $5.00, $3.60, Meadowlands
*Moms Crossroads, $4.20, $3.00 (Exacta $61.50), Monticello
Thirds
I Will Do It, $3.20, Meadowlands
Lucys Man, $3.20, Pompano
News & Notes
The comeback is coming back. Wiggle It Jiggleit found his way back to the winner’s circle on Jan, 2 in a $30,000 Preferred Handicap at Dover Downs. Without a win since Oct. 15, 2016, racing at Yonkers, Wiggle It Jiggleit recorded a 1:51 mile win in the feature. Clyde Francis still trains Wiggle It Jiggleit, now an eight-year-old. It was the 39th win for Wiggle It Jiggleit, who has earned more than $4 million lifetime.
The seventh season of harness racing at Miami Valley Raceway in Ohio kicked on Friday night, Jan. 3 at 6:05 p.m. Opening weekend was full of nine- and 10-horse fields racing with a trio of enhanced $30,000 purse Open events. With an estimated total purse account nearing $15 million for the 87-day meet, Miami races for some of the highest purses in North America over the next four months.
Yonkers Raceway begins its 237-card 2020 season Monday night, Jan. 6).A full entry box greeted race secretary Bob Miecuna for the opening double draw, with 150 entrants declaring for Monday and 130 for Tuesday night. Both nights feature 12 races, with 22 of the 24 races offering eight-horse fields.
For the third-straight year, Aaron Merriman was a winning driver in 1,000 races. He becomes the first driver to achieve three straight 1,000-win seasons. In 2018, Merriman became the only driver to score 1,000 wins in back-to-back seasons following a year where he posted 1,095 wins. Merriman, 41, continues a torrid schedule, having driven in over 4,000 races the last six seasons. We have not yet done Aaron’s percentage or flat-bet-profit figures for this season as they relate to bettors. When we do we will report them in an Update blog.
Extraordinary Extras
Indulge in our monthly columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update
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