An $88 C-Derby Winner Among Double-Digit Hits

TwinSpires Harness Preview blog feature results are below, along with in-the-money finishers from our horses-to-watch list (H2W), and of course, our News & Notes section, which reports and remarks on the states of our sport.

Thursday, Sept. 3

At Woodine/Mohawk (WoMo), we were on top of the two Peaceful Ways elims, winning with Dicentra ($6.80, $3.60, $2.10) and Donna Soprano ($2.60, $2.10, $2,10). Lady Chaos ($2.10) snuck into third on a dead heat in the first elim and Up And Ready (26-1) finished fifth.

The William Wellwood elims were both won by public choices, one that we had—Southwind Tyrion ($2.30, $2.10, $2.10 ok)—in the scheme of a triple. We were second with On A Streak ($5.80, $4.10), but our third choice, Tokyo Seelster (11-1) finished fourth.

Nothing went right for us in the second elim. Father Corby (119-1) dragged home seventh and Calle Palema (29-1) broke and galloped home ninth.

Saturday, Sept. 5

We lead with the stunner. In the Canadian Pacing Derby we like two horses. The disappointing one was Bettors Wish (4-1), who was leading into the stretch but faded badly to finish last. The other was Dorsoduro Hanover ($88.00, $29.90, $13.40), pulling off the huge upset of the race favorite, Century Farroh. 

As we, and the public, figured, Ready For Moni ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10) won the Goodtimes at WoMo. Trying for the superfecta, we had the third spot with HP Royal Theo ($3.40). We picked up fourth with Capricornus (35-1) but missed entirely with Hollywood Story (84-1), the other Hambo 2020 colt that is yet to pop.

Gimpanzee ($2.30) was beaten by two in the Maple Leaf Trot, the winner being the mare, Atlanta. She woke up from a number of dull performances, here as the public’s second 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 50 active horses (a 20-percent win hit rate and a 42-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate).

Winners

Mary Goodnight, $20.40, $7.40, $3.00, Plainridge
Intuitive Writer, $18.60, $9.30, $5.70, Vernon
Big Oil, $12.60, $4.80, $14.60 ok, Meadows
RSVP, $6.40, $3.20, $2.40, Hawthorne
Elwell, $6.20, $3.80, $3.00, Yonkers
Skip Jive, $4.70, $3.50, $3.10, Vernon
Amigo Volo, $4.00, $2.60, $2.20, Meadows
Tatoo Artist, $3.70, $2.70, $2.10, WoMo
Gold Star Major, $2.80, $2.80, $2.10 ok, Hoosier
Captain Corey, $2.10, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Pocono

Seconds

Voelz Delight, $9.70, $7.10, Grand River
Dante Seelster, $5.80, $3.40 (Exacta $25.00), Northville
Candy Trader, $3.70, $2.80 (Exacta $10.90), WoMo
Repeal Or Replace, $3.20, $3.40 ok, Pocono
Karma Seelster, $2.80, $2.40, WoMo

Thirds

Burkes Bandit, $12.00, Plainridge
Stormont Wizard, $7.00, Northfield
Fast N Victorious, $6.00
White Belly, $5.00, Hoosier
Mayhem Hanover, $2.60, Ocean
Fire Me Up, $n/s, Ocean

NEWS & NOTES

Testament to the strength of the 2020 Hambletonian and in league with our Hambo-Key-Race theory, more horses from the final field have come back to win in their first or second starts after the August classic. The filly winner of the main event, Ramona Hill, lead the field of bet-backs, including Big Oil, Sister Sledge (the other filly in the final), Ready For Moni and Amigo Volo.

A rare program at the Meadows in which Dave Palone drove seven winners took place on the Sept. 4 program. Winning seven of 13 drives is near ordinary for Palone, but as a flat-bet profit (FBP), it was one of his best days ever, since he is apt to drive far more favorites than he did Friday. Playing $2 on each of Palone’s drives cost $26. That much was returned on his first win, paying $55.00. Totally, bets on Palone returned $130.40, including a $39.00. FBP bettors collected $107.40 on 13 wagers at $2.00 each.

Scioto Downs extended its race meet one week. Instead of closing the weekend before Labor Day, closing night will now be on Saturday, Sept. 12. The schedule for the last two weeks includes racing Wednesday through Saturday (Sept. 9-12), all with a 6:15 p.m. first post.

The 75^th Little Brown Jug meeting begins on Sept. 20 and ends on “Jug” day, Sept. 24. All races will be conducted without spectators at the Delaware, Ohio Fairgrounds, complicit with the COVID-19 season of racing. The n Jug week usually draws upwards of 40,000 spectators from across North America. The racing will be conducted in accordance with the protocols of the “Safe Return to Racing” plan as established by the Ohio State Racing Commission. Fans will be able to watch and wager on Twinspires, where our blog will cover most of the Grand Circuit action that week.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update