Double-Digit Winners Pad The Pocket; $20 Features Hit At Miami Valley Tops Selected Overnight Action

Week two of 2019 (we won’t be counting every week’s review blog, promise) was the usual attack on overnights selected by their promise for value as we predict; and the horses-to-watch list starts the season off productively. Let’s go over our success and failure from the week of wagering. Thursday, Jan. 10 At Flamboro, maybe Merv’s Tru Legacy (6-1) would not have won anyway but matters of interference and broken equipment only made the trip tougher while finishing seventh. The other suggested contender, the obvious public choice, Dabunko ($2.20), was the show horse. Our Power Plays at Yonkers originally offered four contenders, as a superfecta was involved, but Keystone Nikki scratched. That left three and we only one finished paying. That was the public choice, A Crafty Lady ($3.80, $2.60, $2.10). Big Lis (3-1) finished fourth and Velocity Layla (15-1) was sixth. Friday, Jan. 11 There were two selected features, both at the Meadows. In the first we lost to a 2-1 shot with Golden Rock (3-1), who finished seventh. In the other feature we were second with Nathan Feelsgood ($3.40, $2.60). He was the exacta partner with the favorite for a combo worth $23.80. Saturday, Jan. 12 One reason we aim for big exotic prices at Northfield is because favorites stop so many good prices from reality. Our Power Plays Pick 3 at Northfield was the perfect example. The three public choices were responsible a $10.50 Pick 3. In the first leg one of our contenders, Miss Meeko, scratched, while the other, Ida Sofia (8-1), finished seventh. In the second leg we were fourth with Derek Delight (38-1) and in the last leg we finished ninth with Shakeitformegear (67-1) and third with Wonderful World ($2.40). The Adam Short watch paid off in the first selected feature at Miami with a win from Vintage Grand ($20.00, $5.60, $4.20). In the second “Short” event, Aholoughnolum (5-1) was caught in rumbling traffic, suffering interference and finishing fourth, placed fifth. The favorite won the race. Most of our selected features and Power Plays losers show up for their second chances in the H2W when they race again. Others may be found a second time in upcoming features. 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 29 active horses (a 17-percent win hit rate and a 48-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 Winners Dream All Night, $18.20, $4.30, $2.70, Western Fair Victoria’s Munky, $15.80, $4.00, $3.00, Freehold Western Beachboy, $3.60, $3.20, $2.20, Yonkers River Runs Deep, $3.20, $3.00, $2.10, Freehold Doo Wop Hanover, $2.60, $2.20, $3.40, Pompano Seconds Blue Eyed Cowboy, $12.10, $6.80, Mohawk Whatnblazes, $7.00, $5.00, Freehold Idle Bones N, $3.20, $2.20 (Exacta $9.20), Freehold Sgt Papa Daddy, $3.00, $3.40 ok, Pompano Isitfridayyet, $2.70, $2.20, Mohawk Thirds Panamanian Hanover, $6.00, Yonkers Jacinta Hanover, $4.20, Freehold Four Card Major, $4.00, Meadows Hammer Creek, $2.60, Meadowlands News & Notes Harrington Raceway’s 73^rd season of harness racing will get underway on April 15. The new nightly post time will be at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Racing will be conducted on a Monday through Wednesday schedule until June 26, when a summer hiatus commences. The richest program of the season will be Governor’s Day on July 25 with a special 7 p.m. post during the Delaware State Fair. Racing will be held on four days in August (19^th, 20^th , 26^th , 27^th ) before the normal Monday through Wednesday schedule resumes for the balance of the meet, which will conclude on Oct. 23. The marquee race of the season is the Bobby Quillen Memorial on Sept. 16. Yannick Gingras’ win on Jan. 7 at Yonkers’ last race of the program capped a driving milestone for him—win number 7,000. Gingras said he “had no idea that the seven thousand mark” was nearing until right before Christmas when someone mentioned it to him. The 39-year-old Gingras, a native of Quebec, has career earnings in excess of $171 million. We have not worked up a flat-bet-profit/break-even price for Gingras’ percentage of wins versus drives but when we do, we will report it here. Three racehorses have been nominated to the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame. First and foremost as far as the TwinSpires harness department is concerned, is the spectacular champion and now prolific sire Captaintreacherous. As readers of this blog know, we followed the pacing colt and supported him as a major contender in stakes where the public under-rated him, which resulted in great prices for the dominant colt at two and three. We were proud to stand in the winner’s circle at Pocono Downs when Captaintreacherous won the Breeders Crown for sophomore pacers. Also nominated were racehorse/stallion Art Major and Foiled Again, who is the highest earner in the sport’s history and who recently went over the 100-win mark as he heads for retirement. Art Major has made a strong impression on the sport as a sire. Though he was a strong pacing competitor and a $1-million winner, his stud career is contributing more to the overall breed than his personal performances. The horses competing for a spot in the Hall that did not make it included Father Patrick, Peaceful Way and Sweet Lou. Extraordinary Extras Indulge in my monthly columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update