Cal-Expo Upset Nailed At $45; Place Prices Powerful

 
Thursday, Dec. 26

There were only three places for our Power Plays (PoP) at the Meadows. Favorites, bad performances and scratches took cause at our profit aims.

When we were not being beaten by public choices we scored out only winner in the stream of races 3 through 6. That was Mister Spot A ($3.60, $3.00, $2.60) in Race 5. Our three other contenders failed to pay off. They were The Thunder Rolls (4-1), finishing sixth, R N Nate (15-1), finishing seventh, and Beach House (71-1), finishing ninth.

In leg four we added to the $100 trifecta with the third element, Four Card Major ($4.00), while our other pick, Art Seeker (23-1), ended up eighth.

In leg one we were fourth in the the $54 superfecta with Dylan Sam (22-1). The other choice, Starmaker (26-1), ended the mile in ninth place.

There was no chance to contribute at all in Race 6, the final leg of the PoP, when Astra and Beachesbeckonme scratched.
 

Friday, Dec. 27

A $45 winner overshadowed the Cal-Expo races we addressed (see H2W list). It was our eighth highest win price of the year.

The Pick 3 was a wash, since each leg was won by a favorite.

In Race 2 we followed the favorite home with Timetoplaythegame ($3.00, $2.20) in the $4.40 exacta. Our other choice for exotics, Special Sauce (18-1) finished fifth.

In Race 3 we followed the favorite home with Somkinda Hanover (2.60, $3.60). Those prices were reduced due to a dead-heat finish for second, which also deflated the exacta with our half of the dead heat, paying $5.90. Also in this race, our other choice, Blue Star Trooper (5-1), finished fifth.

The final leg of the PoP found our two choices, Platinum Blue (23-1) and Cenalta Dragster (28-1), finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.


Saturday, Dec. 28

At the Meadowlands there was no handicapping to do in the three races we made features, at least not for the winners. The public nailed all three, regardless of the big fields that fans seem to enjoy.

In Race 2 we finished eighth-placed-seventh with TJ Blast (68-1).

In Race 5, Bringer Of Rain (28-1) wound up sixth, as did Bell I No (5-2) in Race 8.


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 26 active horses (a 12-percent win hit rate and a 31-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

Part Time, $45.40, $15.00, $7.40, Cal-Expo
Alishas Big Star, $25.80, $5.40, $4.20, Northfield
Macs Secure, $4.40, $2.80, $2.40, Freehold


Seconds

Schubie, $28.20, $15.00, Pompano
The Catamount Kid, $24.00, $3.90, Monticello


Thirds

H-And-N DHO Hailey, $5.80, Northfield
Moms Crossroads, $4.30, Monticello
Song In My Heart, $2.10, Northfield


News & Notes

TwinSpires harness blog wishes a happy birthday to all equines, great and small. Our top stories for 2019 are included in the extra blog posted this weekend. Our 2019 annual review. The blog is a 12-month review of suggested-contender winners from our weekly harness blog. Included are only the winners that paid 4-1 or more. Along with that we announce the TwinSpires Harness Players Horse of the Year, the winner from our features list and the horses-to-watch list (H2W) that returned the highest win mutual from any our posts in 2019. The review will appear separately from our Weekly Update blog.

From the review blog are a few sidebar facts. Among the top winners we delivered last season (those paying $100 or more to win and at least $40) two of them presented $100 wins, doing so within weeks of one another, early in the season. Of the top 10 paying within those ranges of win price, the average winning price was $70.

It is not a mistake if any horse appears twice or more on the winners list. There were horses that we suggested as contenders more than once and if they earned those wins and paid between $100 and $40, they obviously deserve to be listed.

Many of the suggested contenders that finished second delivered two-digit prices, contributing to top prices for the exotics in which they were included. Of course none of those horses were in the top three public choices of their particular race and many of them were beaten for a winning spot by race favorites. As always indicated, we take credit for all exactas if we produce any second in the combo that follows the public choice winning.

Woodbine Entertainment announced a pair of new multi-leg wagers and the return of the Can-Am Pick-4 for the 2020 racing season at Woodbine Mohawk Park (WoMo). Starting Jan. 4, WoMo introduces Rolling Doubles and a Late Pick 5 for every card. The Rolling Doubles will start with the traditional Daily Double on Race 1 and continue with a new Double starting in every race until the Late Double. The regular Daily Double minimums and takeout apply.

WoMo’s Late Pick 5 starts every night on Race 6 and features a 20-cent minimum and a 15-percent takeout. The Late Pick 5 joins the popular Early Pick 5, which will continue to start every night on Race 1.

WoMo and the Meadowlands team up to offer the Can-Am Pick 4. The multi-leg wager is offered every Saturday night beginning Jan. 11. The wager consists of the final two races at WoMo plus two races at the Meadowlands. The Can-Am Pick 4 has a 20-cent minimum and 15-percent takeout.


Extraordinary Extras

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