Blizzard, Snowshoe Series Finals At Woodbine; Full-Throttle Of Features Fire; Pickin’ At Powerful Pick-4 Profits

Our endless pursuit for winning horses outside the public favors continues through the hard-weather months of winter. This week, again we include Partners For Picks and Power Plays for TwinSpires account-holders to use for inspiration. Also, though, the Woodbine winter series—The Blizzard and The Snowshoe—conclude with two finals and we attack them with our usual approach for prices. The ever-popular weekly H2W (the horses-to-watch) list ensues (last week our highest priced winner of the early season surfaced here). Do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections.

Our suggested contenders often include top dollar payoffs – that’s why you don’t read most of them from any public handicappers in print or on line. TwinSpires handicapping blogs for all racing breeds present the best wagering investments in the real of the cyber world.

PARTNERS FOR PICKS

Freehold / Race 2
Thursday, Feb. 1

A $1.00 Pick 4 brings back a suggested contender from last week’s Freehold Partners For Picks (PFP) and two from last week’s H2W, along with one new choice in our quest for the best of this single-race exotic.

Leg one, Race 2
Hot Shot Hill would be worth his morning line (ML) of 3-1 after two rough losses due to outside maneuvers. He’s between conditions from those two but has been improving enough to find his winning spot in this pseudo-contentious affair.

Leg two, Race 3
The only non-proven loser in this bunch is the second-time starter, filly trotter Big Sky Julietta. Her first track appearance was decent racing against veterans and her qualifier before that passed the speed grade. All the others here have shown no particular ability to win after many starts, so in order to pick up a price we should back the unknown entity that will not be a choice of the crowd.

Leg three, Race 4
Just That may not be the top choice, though the 13-year-old is 3-1 on the ML. There are cases for a few others here that may sway the crowd. Regardless, Just That is in a good spot to up his claiming price with a win here and won’t hurt Pick-4 prices if he wins.

Leg four, Race 5
Late-starting trotter Big Sky broke in one of two pari-mutuel betting events after bad-gait behavior forced three qualifiers to make the required finishing time to start. In that one smoothly gaited race he left from post 8 at Freehold at 88-1 and finished third, making up close to 11 lengths. That was the race where we nailed a $135.00 cold exacta with the two horses finishing in front of him. With the rail here and continued improving steps, he could blow this group away.

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Flamboro / Race 3
Thursday, Feb. 1

Last week, Angels Kid left from post 8, taking the field through all fractions and surprising the crowd with a 26-1 place finish by a head to the favorite. This week, Angels Kid gets an inside post and should be expected to show that speed again. If this time there is a pocket trip, Angels Kid could win this mile late and pay decently (not as huge as sent off last week). A 4-1 ML is promising.

WINTER WONDERS

At Woodbine, the $30,000 Snowshoe Series Final (Open) is on the docket Friday, Feb. 2 along with the $30,000 Blizzard Final (mares), both conditioned races for older pacers. Full fields of 10 in each display strong competition.

The Snowshoe finds three winners of series’ legs spread out at the gate. The highest priced winner, Artofficial Flavor (4-1) gets the post closest to the rail. Also, a beaten co-favorite, Burn Out Hanover, drew inside. Also drawing inside is Gerardo, who lost a leg by a neck at 3-1. Considering the three leg-division winners going here, Gerardo should go off better than last week’s odds. The biggest threat to Gerardo is Burn Out Hanover, who had no chance running; if he is in good stride here he could bring on a very good price.

The mares’ field in the Blizzard Series Final displays a bunch of scenarios. The two leg-division winners are here: Bettin Jake (our winner last week) and Circle The Page. Both should be extremely involved in the mile. However, we have our eyes on last week’s beaten favorite, Katies Gal. She finished sixth and was placed fifth in the traffic incident that riled half the field. She dueled early and got the lead and was headed for a win before the trouble. On her best behavior, she could beat Bettin Jake and together they would present a decent exotic.

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Yonkers / Race 1
Saturday, Feb. 3

The Daily Double begins with the program’s first race and we offer two contenders that could make it a strong payoff. Both of these choices come from last week, when we jumbled our PFP and Power Plays covering three races at Yonkers. The first is Bettor Rock On N, who clocked in second after being dismissed by the crowd for a great exacta price with the favorite winning. Bettor Rock On N was coming off a claim and showed strong back-class behavior.

In that same race, Rock N Roll Legacy picked up some dead cover but held well until there was no room to do any damage. He was 13-1 then and could be a similar price in this one.

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Yonkers / Race 7
Saturday, Feb. 3

Somewhere Fancy was 25-1 when we chose him in a race on Jan. 20. It looked like a great race for an outsider to win and that was accurate—only the winner wasn’t our 25-1 shot, it was a 20-1 shot. Somewhere Fancy wound up sixth. He delivered a mixture of performances in late 2017 due to racing in different classes where he fit the conditions. However, his Dec. 2 Yonkers race has a trip excuse and after that he was terrific winning at Saratoga against better horses. Three races back he just missed at 8-1.

Blood Brother is older now and was a bit disappointing last season. But he is usually competitive and may be much better in this division. He’s versatile and can make a field chase him or come on in late stretch.

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Yonkers / Race 11
Saturday, Feb. 3

All Down The Line was never in the race last week’s event. In fact, he was an embarrassing 67-1 and wound up seventh of the seven. However, it’s important to note that the field closed in on the winner with force late and All Down The Line finished 3 lengths off of the leader. He had a bad start, as well, giving the wire-to-wire winner Soto 10 ½ lengths. He deserves another chance here and we’ll take long odds again if given them because he is far better than he raced last week and faces weaker to boot. 


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

Buffalo
2/3/18, +Littlebitaclass R1; Freaky Flyer R4; Major Trick R5; RM Hawk R 7; +Wartech R8

Cal-Expo
2/2/18, Windsun Galaxie R5
2/3/18, +Eastender R3; Dontdoubtthelakers R6; Storming D Odds R9

Dover
2/1/18, +Forty Five Red R6
2/5/18, +Pretty Boy Hill R11

Flamboro
2/1/18, +Leonardo Da Lindy R1; +Hetties Commander R2; +Waikiki Hanover R3
2/3/18, +Gronk R3
2/4/18, +Little Quick R9; +Drake R11; Credit Risk R11

Fraser
2/2/18, +Whatkindofchance R4; Hammers Silver R5; Premium Stock R7

Freehold
2/1/18, +Black Hammer R1
2/3/18, +Elle’s Boy R7

Hawthorne
2/3/18, Morgangetsherway R2; +Go See Lo Go R4; +Lakeside MS Queen R8; Bling R8

Meadowlands
2/3/18, +About The Benjamins R5

Miami
2/2/18, Cams Lucky Star R3; +Firstup R12

Monticello
2/1/18, Idontthankyoucan R4; +Joe Says Go R7
2/5/18, +Twin B Onaroll R8

Northfield
2/3/18, Im Shameless R1; BB Liberty R3; That’s My Girl G R5

Northlands
2/3/18, +Duke It Up R3; Emmas Big Girl R8

Pompano
2/3/18, Rush N Supreme R1; B Well R3; Watchwhatmyfeetdo ae R5; +A Fool For Mark R6

Woodbine
2/1/18, +Lyons William R5
2/2/18, +Reys NA Rocket R1
2/3/18, +McDave R7

Yonkers
2/2/18, Cousin Mary R5