Breeders Crown Winner Tops List At $65; A Place Bonanza At $25; McWicked-Filibuster Bury Lazarus N; Exacta Evolve

Here are the results and some brief notes on our successes and failures we faced at the 2018 Breeders Crown finals from Pocono Downs:

Saturday, Oct. 27

BREEDERS CROWN COUNTDOWN

Of the four finals covered in the last BCC blog, we only had a single winner, though he was the lock of our BCC century. That winner was Gimpanzee ($3.00, $2.20, $2.10) and believe this—that was a fair win price.

Two favorites beat us out in two other finals for two-year-olds. We were fourth with Special Honor (72-1), losing support also in that field from The Ice Dutchess (14-1), who finished sixth. The other loss came from Beautyonthebeach (17-1), who ended up fourth.

A 9-2 shot beat us in the other featured final, as we completed the mile in fifth with Blood Money (18-1).

The other finals were posted in the main blog.

Our biggest winner was the soph-filly trot, won by Lily Stride ($65.40, $11.80, $5.00). We tried to partner an exacta with her and Plunge Blue Chip ($2.60), who finished third. With the favorite second (Atlanta), however, this trifecta came back $138.15.

We were also successful in the nightcap, the older horse pace. We have been emphatic about the dominance of McWicked ($3.80, $2.80, $2.10) over the division and particularly over Lazarus N. We predicted the other horse to be in the mix, if not an upset, and he finished second. That was Filibuster Hanover ($5.80, $3.40), who with McWicked produced an exacta worth $21.80. Lazarus N faded badly and finished off the board.

In other results, we were second in the Mare Trot with Ice Attraction ($25.60, $12.80).

We were second with Lather Up ($4.20, $3.40) who partnered with the favorite for an exacta worth $38.60.

In the Mare Pace, we took third with Pure Country ($3.00).

We were also third in the soph-colt trot with Crystal Fashion ($2.80). Probable favorite Six Pack was scratched sick.

Out of the mixes were Alexa’s Power (5-2) finishing ninth in the soph-filly pace and Pinkman (20-1) finishing fifth in the Horse Trot.
 

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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 49 active horses (a 16-percent win hit rate and a 38-percent ATB [in the money] 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 week) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review

Winners

Dayson, $6.70, $3.30, $2.30, Yonkers
The Royal Garden N, $6.70, $4.30, $2.50, Vernon
Freaky Feet Pete, $6.00, $3.20, $3.00, Hoosier
Godspell Hall, $5.40, $3.20, $2.80, Meadowlands
Not My First Rodeo, $4.60, $2.20, $2.10, Scarborough
Scirocco Rob, $4.00, $2.80, $2.60, Hoosier
Dakota Jack, $3.80, $2.60, $2.40, Pompano
Loutenant, $3.00, $2.20, $2.10, Philly

Seconds

King Harvest, $5.80, $5.20 (Exacta $23.20), Philly
Modesty, $3.80, $2.40, Meadowlands
Cimmamack, $3.60, Hoosier
Hey Blondie, $3.20, $2.40, Hoosier
Cab Bearnaise, $3.00, $4.80 ok (Exacta (10.00), Scarborough
Glass Prince, $2.80, $3.00 ok (Exacta $12.20), Meadowlands
Majestic Kat, $2.20, $2.10, Flamboro
Nike Franco N, $2.20, $2.20 (Exacta $9.20), Philly

Thirds

Casual Cool, $3.00, Freehold
On First, $2.10, Scarborough


News & Notes

After 118 years of horse racing, Northlands Park has shut down. The Edmonton, Alberta raceway sends its equine community to Century Mile. The first day of racing is next year on April 28. While harness horses raced at Northlands on fair circuit days at the turn of the last century, it wasn’t until 1961 that the sport raced in Edmonton full time. Through its history many great standardbreds raced there. Cam Fella won a stakes race at Northlands, as did pacing and trotting stars Matt’s Scooter, Camluck (son of Cam Fella), Artsplace and Staying Together.

At the end of this season, trainer Noel Daley will leave American harness racing and return to his native Australia. There, Daley begins another chapter in his career as a standardbred trainer. Daley will handle conditioning of horses owned by Maria and Emilio Rosati, working from the couple’s new facility near Sydney. Daley’s horses have earned $61.1 million, sixth among trainers in harness history. His 2,564 wins rank 20^th. Daley worked eight years for trainer Brett Pelling before launching his own stable and credits the relationship he forged with owner Adam Victor and his son Adam Jr. in the late 1990s as a springboard to success.

Oct. 24 was closing night of the 72^nd harness racing season at Harrington Raceway. Racing on the Delaware circuit shifts 20 miles north to Dover Downs, which opens on Nov. 5. Mainstay public-relations veteran Marvin Bachrad has retired. Marv, a Hall of Famer, had been at Dover for over a decade. Before going to Dover, Marv was a Senor Editor to Managing Editor Frank Cotolo (TwinSpires harness guy) at TIMES: in harness, a major industry publication and the first on-line harness racing journal.


Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances.

And check my monthly column, Alternative Actions, at Harness Racing Update