Chalk Rules Meadowlands, Lather Up Ties 1:46 Fastest Win Ever, Yonkers

Thursday, July 4 A trio of New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) divisions for frosh-filly trotters attracdted three medium fields to post at Tioga. The public swept the events with winners. We were knocked off the board in all three. First, with Taupa (73-1), who broke and had no chance of recovery. Then we finished fourth with No Mas Drama (5-1) and in the last split we were sixth with Evanna (57-1). At Scioto, frosh-colt pacers were not fine tuned in three Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) events, causing shake ups along the miles that resulting in high-priced winners. In the first OHSS division, a break by the public’s second choice caused a tussle that called for judges’ replacements. Our contender, Charlie Bravo (5-1), was involved, finishing fifth-placed-fourth. A 27-1 shot won. In the second split, our contender, Hez So Handsome (26-1), suffered interference from an 8-1 breaker at the start, leaving his mile hopeless as he finished seventh to a 13-1 winner. Finally, we hit the board with Hot Shot McJeffers ($3.20) in the last OHSS mile but here, too there was trouble at the gate when the public’s second choice broke from an early-speed surge. The 9-1 shot in the field steered clear of all trouble and won. Saturday, July 5 Green frosh-colt pacers were at it in “Sheppard” elims at Yonkers. Cheerio Hill, our contender in the first of three elims, scratched. In round two we were third to the public’s third choice with Level Up ($3.10) and in round three we finished fourth to a 12-1 shot with Roll With Jr (15-1). The Meadowlands Pace elims went the way of all chalk. We challenged the winner of the first split, Captain Crunch, with a dulling Mangogh (30-1), who finished sixth. The second split was a powerhouse performance by our choice, also the big favorite, Bettors Wish ($3.00, $2.20, $2.10). Our exotic prospect in that elim, Hurrikane Emperor ($3.40), contributed to the trifecta. Graduates finals at the Meadowlands featured the track’s fastest winning mile by a trotter in track history (including the old surface mile) when Atlanta scored in 1:49.1, closing on a scorching leader, Six Pack. We were off the grid with Muscle M Up (32-1), the Ake Svanstedt entry we thought would do better than Six Pack. The pacing Graduates final featured a huge mile as Lather Up tied the fastest winning mile in harness racing history—1:46. Blazing fractions helped his live-cover off-the-pace trip. Our outsider, Backstreet Shadow was never involved and probably dizzy from taking part in the sound-barrier-breaking mile. HAMBLETONIAN TRAIL Sign In N Here, a stray Indiana-bred eligible colt for the August classic, made one more attempt to inspire his connections’ support for a trip to New Jersey. Little was accomplished. In an Indiana Sires Stakes at Hoosier, Sign In N Here had weak support from the public, going off at 21-1 and finishing fifth. We covered two of three ”Reynolds” splits at the Meadowlands July 6 for filly trotters with miserable results. Whispering Oaks (7-1) lost to a 6-1 shot in one episode, finishing ninth. American Kronos (6-1) was disappointing crossing the wire eighth against a 4-1 mile upset winner. At Pocono on July 6, three PA All Stars splits for colts left no one surprised. Along with the public we had the first division with Goes Down Smooth ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10). The second division was won by the public’s second choice, not eligible to #Hambo19. We finished third with Explosivebreakaway ($2.10), while exotic partner Holiday Hangover (18-1) finished fifth. The final split was looking good with our first choice, Practical Cat (15-1), until he broke badly and was eliminated. Our second choice, the favorite, Chiplosive ($4.60, $2.20, $2.20), won and were off the grid with trifecta-addition Rock My Muscles. 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 50 active horses (a 6-percent win hit rate and a 28-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 Bourbon Express, $11.40, $6.70, $2.80, Tioga Disneyman, $2.30, $2.30, $2.30 ok, Charlottetown Ideal Jimmy, $2.10, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Yonkers Seconds Andrea Suzanne, $11.00, $6.40, Tioga Shot Of Sweet Love, $3.40, $2.60 (Exacta $10.20), Northfield Fox Valley Salso, $3.00, $2.40, Scarborough Fargo Hanover, $2.20, $2.20 ok, Plainridge Lexi Tee, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Plainridge Thirds Fromthestartagain, $6.40, Meadowlands Stonebridge Guard, $4.00, Buffalo Noble Yaz, $3.00, Plainridge Shuttletruth, $3.00, Scarborough Dreamboat Annie, $2.70, Charlottetown Bounding Dragon, $2.50, Yonkers News & Notes Another Australasian import raced his first-ever charted mile on a North American raceway on July 2 at morning qualifiers in Woodbine Mohawk (WoMo). Mister Spot A was an impressive winner for trainer Rob Fellows. The son of Village Jolt led the field at the head of the lane and went on to a 1:54 win. Mister Spot A, a gelding, was purchased by Arrhythmic LLC of N.Y.) in June. The third Hambletonian Future Water pool closed on July 7. Please note that the Hambletonian Trail blog’s Top Ten list—updated weekly on the blog—has some Future Wager horses listed. The highest odds to start belonged to Mr Vicktor, with a FW of 30-1 as of this report. Next, are Osterc (20-1), Marseille (15-1), Forbidden Trade and Super Schissel (12-1 each), Pilot Discretion (10-1) and Green Manalushi S (8-1). Note, also, that the “Trail” Top Ten lists its favorite as Gimpanzee, who is offering higher in the pool than the Trail chances, which change before the end of this round's wagering at 11 p.m. July 7. There is a horse on the global trotting scene that is not getting much North American press. Considering the standardbred sport in Spain is not well covered, it is not strange that a trotter named Trebol is unknown—even though he has won 47-straight races. The 12-year-old Trebol recently won in his home country. It was his 11^th win of the season and 79^th in his career, in which he has raced 141 times. The current streak has broken the record of Jarvsofaks, a Swedish-bred, who won 42 straight. Before Jarysofaks, the record was 41 straight, set by Carty Nagle in 1938. Extraordinary Extras Indulge in our monthly columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update