Dexter Cup, Lady Suffolk Open 2019 Glamour Series

May 4 marks the start of the 2019 season and this exclusive blog for three-year-old colt and filly trotters. Members of the two divisions that are eligible for the sport’s premier events—The Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks—start their campaign to make the grade and enter the two events, paths to the first Saturday in August at the Meadowlands. This spin off to our TwinSpires harness menu follows the two divisions week in and week out through their schedules of high-class races. As is our service to TwinSpires bettors, we analyze those races to suggest contenders that could be the best values for wagers. The results of our efforts are covered in the weekly update blog along with the results for our main harness blog. The Dexter Cup for the colts and the Lady Suffolk for the fillies launch the “Trail” on May 4 at Freehold. In the $39,650 Dexter Cup elim at Freehold on April 27, eight soph-colt trotters battled for seven positions in the final on May 4. One colt, Osterc, was missing. He received a bye as the top money earner of the nine entered in the event. The elim went almost as the public planned. At the wire, the top two favorites were together, with Whirl Winds K getting the nod by a nose. With him was Ave Svanstedt’s Cavill Hanover, the exact favorite. Finishing third was the most interesting to us, Skyway Kon Man, trained by Trond Smedshammer. Along with the public’s third choice, Julie Miller’s Jason’s Camden, these two are Osterc’s threats as well is Cavill Hanover, and the pair offer the best odds versus chances bets. Skyway Kon Man, however, drew post 8. This is not a deal-breaker but it stifles his chances of a winning trip, though it should increase his odds. Jason’s Camden, however, draws post 3, with “Cavill” to his right and probable favorite Osterc to his right. Osterc earned $226,000 and a bit at two, 17^th for that category. None in the field come close to that at two. The Millers’ colt, a Muscle Mass product, is the outside contender that will be worth backing for the top prize and surely needs to be an exotic element. As well, Skyway Kon Man could get into an exotic, even if not as a major upset, and with better chances than odds will raise the return as long as he makes the board. The $66,000 Lady Suffolk is the soph-trotters’ sister event, sending nine to post, four of which make their debuts at three. One of those is the focus for us. Of these green-gal sophs, one was notably productive at two. She is Magical Beliefs, trained by Linda Toscano. She is not, however, eligible for the Hambletonian Oaks. Still, she is a threat here to the three that are eligible for the “Oaks.” Rush Lane, Golden Tricks and Presto Change O want this race to propel them into the August classic. Rush Lane has won her first soph race; Golden Trick debuts here, as does “Presto.” All that being in order, non-eligible Cardinale, from Julie Miller’s stock, may be the best of this group. Could she be worth it? The public will not have a grasp of this field and will probably make Rush Lane the favorite and maybe too strongly. Svanstedt’s Golden Tricks should be in their top three and Magical Beliefs could have fans from last year supporting her. We will go with Cardinale, because the Millers are always sending out great trotters. The public tends to forget that, making Miller winners valuable. Follow Hambletonian Trail action from this blog on Twitter #Hambo19 and @FrankCotolo in cooperation with the Hambletonian Society.