Century Collars $53 And $19 Winners; Fear The Dragon Beaten By Stablemate; Dan Patch Produces Mild Upset

Our harness-wagering weekend features were not sparkling with great prices from surprise contenders we suggested (our two top prices came from Century Downs races—see the H2W list below)—and it featured only the second loss of the season from the great Fear The Dragon.

Second-choice Downbytheseaside took advantage of Fear The Dragon’s attempt to go wire-to-wire at Northfield by saving ground and attacking late for a 9-2 win in the Carl Milstein Memorial on Aug. 12. Fear The Dragon ($2.10/ n/s) shares trainers with Downbytheseaside, so it was a Brian Brown exacta the hard way.

The Dan Patch Stakes at Hoosier on Aug. 12 marked the return of Check Six, who shocked the field of the Sam McKee Memorial on Hambo day with a 38-1 win over division foes that have been beating him all season. He won the Dan Patch, however, at 6-1, while Dr J Hanover (15-1), our choice for the upset (we were correct about the favorite, McWicked, losing), finished watching the entire field.

On Aug. 12 at Pocono in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) we had Caviart Ally ($3.00, $2.60, $2.40) in one of two divisions. The second one resulted in a third with Idyllic Beach ($2.80).

The there Meadows PASSes on Aug. 12 for frosh-colt trotters denied three straight favorites wins. We were third in two divisions, with Crystal Fashion ($2.20) and Rose Run Tyrone ($6.80).

We had modest victories where most players agreed with us. In the Aug. 11 New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) at Tioga, we won with Guardian Angel AS ($2.40, $2.20, $2.10) coming from the Hambletonian bunch. In the other two NYSS divisions on that program we were sixth with Top Flight Angel (6-5) and Money Macintosh (3-1), the latter losing in a gallop.

Sires stakes choices finishing sixth in PASS events at Philly on Aug. 10 were Swing It Cathy (6-1) and Winmill (39-1), while our contender in the third division for frosh-filly trotters, Olive R Klosov, scratched. A single NYSS mile at Vernon that night was won by the public choice while we finished fourth with Maewegonow (80-1).


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 32 active horses (an 16-percent win hit rate and a 59-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 week) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review is posted.

Winners

Blue Star Admiral, $53.40, $21.90, $11.10, Century
Lucky Lucka, $19.70, $9.40, $6.50, Century
Keepcalmndanceon, $7.30, $2.30, $2.10, Charlottetown
Mint To Cruise, $6.00, $3.40, $2.80, Running Aces
Chaptre Duhara, $2.80, $2.20, $2.20 ok, Hoosier

Seconds

Gunnar Boy, $16.50, $4.40, Rideau-Carleton
BZ Glide, $8.10, $6.00, Batavia
Roknrol Freddy, $6.00, $3.20, Hoosier
The Flight Rose, $4.40, $4.60 ok, Red Mile
JK Will Power, $3.20, $2.40 (Exacta $21.60), Meadows
Southwind Torque, $2.80, $2.20, Batavia
Dolce Seelster, $2.60, $2.10, Rideau-Carleton

Thirds

The Wayfaring Man, $3.80, Pocono
Laugh Out Loud, $3.20, Hawthorne
Fire Dance, $3.10, Century
Devisser, $2.40, Hoosier
Sesame, $2.40, Scioto
Coastal Treasure, $2.20, Running Aces
Katie Nana, $2.10, Rideau-Carleton

News & Notes

The Delaware County Fair has listed its Little Brown Jug top 10 as of the past weekend. As usual, we have a few disagreements in their choices’ positions, so here is our top 10 contenders list for the 2017 “Jug” on Sept. 21 (not any or all in this list are guaranteed to race in the Jug but they are all eligible). 1-Fear The Dragon; 2-Classic Pro; 3-Blood Line; 4-Downbytheseaside; 5-Ocean Colony; 6-Miso Fast; 7-Ship Walther; 8-Hurricane Beach; 9-R J P; 10-Funknwaffles.

The 2017 Hambletonian disqualification is up for appeal, as What The Hill trainer Ron Burke takes the case to the New Jersey Racing Commission. Burke is contesting the Meadowlands’ judges’ decision to disqualify What The Hill from the $1-million Hambletonian Final, a decision that awarded the win status to Perfect Spirit. Burke also told the press that What The Hill underwent throat surgery early the following Monday and that may cause him to miss the the “Zweig” on Aug. 18 at Vernon.

Howard Taylor, a co-owner of top-mare pacer Lady Shadow, announced that the mare would be entered to race in Canada soon. Taylor issued a press release that stated the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has issued a stay of the 90-day rule that has kept her from racing. On May 28, racing at Philadelphia, Lady Shadow produced a positive test for Clenbuterol. In light of the finding, the Meadowlands then banned Lady Shadow, taking her out of competition in the August 5 Lady Liberty Stakes.

Extraordinary Extras

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

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