Grand Circuit Betting Spring Arrives

The TwinSpires Harness Blog is hip to the Grand Circuit, launching preps for the Hambletonian and offering selected features from local series finals, as well as the never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch list (H2W), offering suggestions enhancing exotic combinations and fair-priced win, place and show finishes.

MISS WINDFALL

Hoosier / Race 12
Thursday / April 22

Hoosier’s fillies-and-mares series concludes with an $18k final including pacers on the grounds lightly raced so far this meet. The obvious favorite comes from the always-productive Jeff Cullipher barn, Kaks Rev It Up. She has won three of four, earning her the best of the 10 leaving the gate.

A better value to win is most likely For Sharks Sake, who won last week’s leg with a strong early move and has hit the board two of three times. You could add Made of Platinum for an exotic or two; this is only his third start and he has hit the board twice.

SCARLET & GRAYS

Miami / Races 9, 11
Friday / April 23

The traditional Scarlet & Gray series for Ohio-sired sophomore trotters and pacers moves to Miami this season. Two $50k divisions go, one for each gait, on this card.

The filly trot is first. Nine go to the gate, four start for the first time in 2021. Celebrate With Me, from the Ron Burke barn, is the most impressive coming from qualifiers. She won by four lengths on the half-mile at Northfield over My Jazz, who leaves to her right in this field.

On the edge of a win, Ozma took second to Swizzle Hanover in the Hackett last week and could give “Swizzle” enough trouble to make “Celebrate” a pricey winner and complete a strong exacta with her.

The filly pace has nine gals with five starting first for 2021. An impressive qualifying win, raced at a training center, went to Lady Arthur. Canadian conditioner Dr. Ian Moore handles this Ohio-bred off of a 1:52, five-length win. It is a faster win than the three pari-mutuel winners in the field and needs support. The public is apt to pass (or miss) the qualifier and certainly does not have faith in Moore over Burke, who has two in, and Jeff Nisonger, with the top earner of the group.

DEXTER CUP ELIM

At Freehold on Saturday afternoon, April 24, there is one elimination for next week’s Dexter Cup Final as sophomore-colt trotters take their first steps on the Hambletonian Trail. The race goes for $38,585. All eight at the gate are eligible for the August classic, three of which make their first 2021 appearances.

Incommunicado is the only one of the eight on the two-year-old top 50 earners list. The other seven are low profile, though fresh, and any one could be thought of much differently in a few months. Incommunicado is trained by Ake Svanstedt. The colt, a winner of $201k at two, finished second in a qualifier.

Trond Smedshammer’s Chapolier has been on our watch list, hitting the board in both of his 2021 races and appears prepared for Trond’s rapt attention through spring.

Credit Con, trained by Todd Buter, has already won and placed in his two races off 2021 and earned over $13k.

POWER PLAYS

Pocono / Races 3, 4, 5
Saturday / April 24

We’re taking on these races for a Pick 3, building a small ticket aimed at a big return, so we note some outsiders that may be overlooked in each leg. Remember, all of our suggested contenders qualify for multi- and the single-race exotics, as well as win, place and show wagers.

Race 3
Century Fury’s race before this one is a toss out. The trip included a weary three-wide brush that offered no gain while stepping up. It was his first Pocono appearance this year after racing three good races, including a win, at Yonkers. He should race at least as well as he did two back, nearly winning as the favorite in a class close to this one.

From the farthest post in this six-horse field, Ideal Wheel steps up from a strong win at Yonkers and could very well figure on the board at the finish against a group no better than the best of the lower classes where he finished on the grid.

Race 4
Windsong Jack has been racing better than his odds at this level at Philly and Pocono and could be set up for his first win of 2021 at a price promising to be worthy of his chances.

A mild drop that seems meant to turn past class into forward motion could put Captain Nash into the picture when it counts most.

Race 5
Fine form enabled American Rebel to be with challengers at the wire most of his eight races this season and the three that did not were troubled one way of another. On paper he should win strongly. William Adamczyk trains off of a claim at the highest mark of this handicap.

Rockin In the Hills went wide too early to keep up with the first three over the wire. Without a move like that he should win again for Daniel Maier, who sends him out for a third time since claiming him.

H2W Legend

Review our choices and confirm the wagers available at the prescribed track. H2W offers possible contenders researched from reviewing races. Horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track with the date of their race and the race number (R6 ) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it appears on the list for the second time (horses are listed twice only if, at first, they failed to win. An “ae” signals also-eligible. Types of wagers to make are based on your judgment.

H2W LIST

Buffalo
4/24/21, +Kings Treasure R2; +Littlebitofabrat R5; +Before I Die R7

Meadowlands
4/23/21, Mycrownmykingdom R5; Alkippe R6; Thebeachiscalling R7
4/24/21, Rock To Glory R2; +South Beach Star R4; +Double Account R6; +Buck Dancer R6; +Reign Of Honor R6; Morairtime R6

Meadows
4/23/21, +Regal Prince R2; Jeannies Terror R7; Bring The Thunder R8

Miami
4/23/21, +Loutenant R3
4/24/21, +Just Playing R9; +Official Bean R10

Monticello
4/22/21, American Champ R4; Swiss Bank Hanover R6

Northfield
4/24/21, Lovely Munro R1; Atlantic Star R5; +Ball Diamond R13

Northville
4/23/21, +Impressive Chief R5; +Fire Eye R11
4/24/21, +Rocks And Things R2; The Great I Am R5; +Brave World R6

Philly
4/23/21, Mr Hasani N R5; Disturbia R11

Plainridge
4/23/21, +Royal Pride R1; +Northern Sultan R5; L Dees Yoyo Ma R6; +Easteriffic R7

Pocono
4/25/21, +Nextroundsonme R12

Vernon
4/23/21, +Under The Bus R8
4/24/21, Catello Too R1; +Schwarber R6; Culinary Artist R8

Yonkers
4/22/21, +Buzinga N R8
4/23/21, Muscle Mach A R1; Shneonucrzydiamnd A R2