Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes for Nov 8, 2012

We warned you against a Pet Rock bet if he won that and made the final, so if you followed us you passed, because Pet Rock was bet down to a prohibitive choice and he finished third to Michaels Power. All in all, that was a pretty good hit, since 5-2 was very fair odds and we can feel good about the prediction and pass to have stayed in the black.

At Tioga in the Empire Breeders Championship finals, we were nosed out by a favorite and beaten by a longshot. Top-choice Heston Blue Chip won the colt division, with our 10-1 shot, Breakin The Law second. If you so cared for an exacta using the big choice on top you were handed only $8.60 for the combo. The filly division, however, saw an 18-1 shot, Better B Lucky, defeat the giant entry of Romantic Moment and American Jewel. We liked Romantic Moment best of the pair and that is who battled it out at the wire with the longshot. It was a thin nose, a hair, a nano-inch [sic] with “Lucky” on the winning side.

Friday night the New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) for freshmen at the Meadowlands saw every one of our suggested contenders in play but only one winning.

Frosh-filly trotter Shared Past won, paying one of the best price of the eight NJSS events at $9. In order of best finish, our other selections included seconds from Hilarious Hayley (5-1), Rockmyjeans (6-1), Don’t Ya Know (3-1) and Deadliest Catch (7-1), a third by Miss Lauren (4-1) and two fourths, Viva De Vie (7-1) and Rocky Mountain Guy (11-1).

In three Bavaria Downs New York Sires Stakes for frosh-filly trotters, we had only a second, Crazy Grigio (5-1). Proclaiming Artist (big favorite) broke and was eliminated and Palm Beach Chic (4-1) was fifth.

The Sobeys Gold Cup & Saucer is set at Click here for the foreword to the exclusive Breeders Crown Countdown blog.

We invite you to enjoy our musings on other standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances. Every weekend as part of that blog we we offer Balmoral Pick-4-and-win picks at the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program page which includes suggested win bets. Last week we hit with Captain Obvious at $20.20, BP Giant Fool at $7, Ice Scrape at $3.60 and Brooklyn's Desire at $3.60.. 

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