Eliminations Erupt In Canada As Top Soph And Aged Affairs Headline; Graduates Take The Stage In A Bundle At Tioga

 

The big guns are locked and loaded on the second weekend in June with elimination features topped by the North America Cup. The first of the biggest glamour-boys-and-girls (the Fan Hanover) events is ready to fire at the new year-round (Woodbine at) Mohawk (WoMo) harness plant, along with the traditional under-card stakes elims.

We also cover a quintet of Graduate divisions from Tioga, stretching out the features through June 10.

On June the 9 WoMo card, also, are the soph trotters featured in this week’s other harness blog, The Hambletonian Trail. The Good Times Trot elims feature eligible colts for the August classic.

The suggested contenders in the TwinSpires exclusive horses-to-watch (H2W) list are also ready to fire. Explore these possibilities for use in any wagers of your choice. Do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections.

MARES IN FLIGHT

Two $35,000 elims for next week’s Armbro Flight start the big weekend on Friday, June 8 at Woodbine at Mohawk (WoMo, as we have decided to call it) and the first division demands a pass or a powerful swing for the fence as Hannelore Hanover dominates the seven-horse field of trotters.

Considering the high percentage of winners from the Luc Blais barn, swingers for the fence should consider Dream Together for the upset. A good trip and some challenging the huge favorite could get Dream Together home and that would be a great price. Even winning by a whisker would be a win, after all.

In the second elim, Blais sends Emoticon Hanover into the eight-mare mile. This one should get some play considering a decent resume comes with her. Of course, Ake Svanstedt’s Ice Attraction will and should be deserving of action. Those two allow Trond Smedshammer’s Celebrity Ruth to be short some bets to be among the first two public choices. Should that be the case then “Ruth” would be the bet. Watch the prices since these three should produce the winner. 

FAN HANOVER

The glamour-girl pacing version of the “NA Cup” has a pair of $35,000 elims on June 9 to set up its final. In round one, top frosh earners Reign On Me and Alexis Faith will attract top betting positions and have little excuse not to make it into the final’s field. Burke’s Baron Remy leaves from post 8, which may hurt his odds more than his chances. It’s a good deal when you can get a Burke trainee at a terrific price and this one could be one of those rare chances.

In the other elim comes the experts’ pick for soph of the year, Youaremycandygirl. This is the opposite of a good Burke-related bet because every penny will be all over her. The closest frosh-earner to her is Kendell Seelster and she is a half-million away. Still, there is no other way to turn, other than pass. But why not take a shot on “Kendell” this early in the season? She may be better and that could be good enough to beat the top-voted soph pacer. So much as a strong challenge that impacts Youaremycandygirl would put a lot of fillies in this division in play.

ROSES ARE RED

Another pair of $35,000 elims cover the fillies-and-mares pacing division in the Roses Are Red. Ten strong, the first elim features a familiar batch of bruiser gals. Shartin N, rated second so far this year on the Hambletonian Society/USTA Top Ten (we are among the insider voters weekly), will be tough but also a favorite. Blue Moon Stride and Agent Q drew outside posts but will still get strong support, as well as Twinkle will have her fan backing present.

Blazin Britches may not get the kind of support she needs in this division, having graduated from sophomore to the aged grouping. But Brian Brown’s trainee may improve greatly and be up to the task of sweeping with an elim win and a final surge. This is the time to back her improvement scenario, hoping the crowd backs the veterans.

Episode two sends nine to post, with more stars of this division. Caviart Ally has already embraced her new division and Tequila Monday always gets action. As well, Jimmy Takter’s Pure Country’s unpredictable performances will attract other dollars. Here, again, a Burke horse looms dangerously. From post 8, Windsun Glory may be overlooked to the point where she may be the bet. Such a scenario as would put her over the finish line first is worth the shot. After all, these mares love to beat one another and always find it difficult to crown a dominating member.

NORTH AMERICA CUP CAVALCADE

Three $50,000 divisions of eliminations are the main event at MoWo on June 9 as the field of this year’s North America Cup Final takes shape.

Even this early in the season, we know the favorites based on pundit polls and frosh performances. We feel this is a very shaky sophomore crop. Still, the would-be stars will dominate the betting.

Elim one collects 10 of the 29 that dropped into the box to compete. Stay Hungry should attract the top betting spot. Tony Alagna’s big earner at two, though he has not sparked any fires yet, will be trusted by many to live up to expectations. Alagna has a secondary entry, Captain Deo. Local pop star Casie Coleman’s Summer Travel should get some action, too.

Last week, in our huge place finish 59-1 shot upset, we included in exotics Takter’s Grand Teton, which we thought would be one of the top three favorites but went off around 6-1. Grand Teton finished third to the 20-1 winner and our 59-1 shot and survived an inquiry. There was trouble, else he may have done better. The point? Grand Teton is being underrated and will be alive in this elim and a good price from post 9. Also dangerous and probably a decent price is Brown’s Done Well. He is a good exotic add.

Elim two presents a soft field, headed by Nutcracker Sweet. Although he disappointed in the Grand Teton race mentioned above, Takter’s colt will see much betting action. Burke has Dorsoduro Hanover among the nine lesser-known entries. Of those, Brown’s Whos Better may be fresh enough to make an impression by making the final, if not winning the race. A price? It’s hard to predict this one but Whos Better could offer enough considering the unknown factors of this group.

The third elim features nine, topped by Lost In Time, Takter’s top soph prospect. He is one more uninspired colt in this crop. He has been beaten already at three with little excuse, so we can look beyond him. Others are looking beyond him and toward Lather Up, who was impressive in last week’s Somebeachsomewhere prep. Those two should suck in the bulk of the win bets.

Again, we will stay with Babes Dig Me, who comes into this event as a competitive entry that has shown he could be one of the division’s top dogs through the big stakes. His Art Rooney third finish was impressive and Alagna seems to be favoring him as the stable’s top performer.

FIVE GRADUATES

There are five Graduate legs at Tioga on Sunday, June 10, each with a whopping $50,000 purse. The cast of this series continues to grow as it tours many raceways. Topping the busy weekend, here are some thoughts on bets for the quintet.

There are two trots. In the first division, Yes Mickey is back for us. Last week he disappointed but this is a softer field and he has prepped enough to wipe these out.

In the second trot, give International Moni another shot. He has some gait issues but when he is rolling he is a top-notch trotter and staying smooth here should be an easy win for him.

In the first of three pacing Graduate miles, Tom Fanning’s Photobombr Hanover is in the perfect spot and should offer a good price, especially because the crowd will be all over Filibuster Hanover and flirt with Blood Line.

The middle pace presents seven dominated in earnings from Western Joe but Miso Fast has been sharp and may be able to topple the likes of “Joe” and Burke’s Lawrencetown Beach, who will get much support.

The last Graduate pace delivers seven relatively unknowns to the series. Maroma Beach is off a longshot win for Burke and Highalator is five for 14 but not against the best of the division. Sharpest right now could be Donttellmeagain, looking for his second win in only three starts. The price will be right.


H2W Legend

Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last) time because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

H2W LIST

Bangor
6/9/18, King Of The D R2; Five Cent Deposit R5; Fountain Square R7; Keystone Camero R8

Buffalo
6/8/18, +Snapshot Springs R4

Harrington
6/11/18, +Slick Tony R5

Hawthorne
6/8/18, Im An Athlete R1; +Gabe Henry R5
6/9/18, Gran San R7

Hoosier
6/7/18, Locamotion Fred R1; Gene Eugene R3; +Spirited Encounter R5

Meadowlands
6/8/18, +Pinkman R5; Clifton Beach R8
6/9/18, +Quality Bud R8

Meadows
6/9/18, +Montana Pablo R4

Mohawk
6/7/18, +Tuscans Memory R8

Monticello
6/7/18, +Tim Lizzie R1

Northfield
6/9/18, Dazzling Dragon R1; +Tigers Sue R8
6/11/18, Smart Move R4

Northville
6/9/18, Airguitar Rockstar R2; Celestial Dreams R7; Major Hanover R10

Ocean
6/10/18, +Wont Be Nothing ae R2; Mullet Blue Chip R7; Our Jerry Lee N R9

Philly
6/8/18, Beach Blast R3; Belas Bad Boy R4

Plainridge
6/7/18, Real World Goal R1; Uncle Freddie R6
6/8/18, +McElodian R6; +Kentucky Nick R8

Pocono
6/11/18, +Centurian Hanover R1

Running Aces
6/9/18, Myskillspaydabills R1; +Swagasaurusrex R9
6/10/18, +Onemorenwallgohome R7

Saratoga
6/8/18, +Gina Grace N R10

Scarborough
6/7/18, Bullseye R8
6/10/18, Im A King R4

Scioto
6/8/18, Loreenas Ruffian R2; Rockin M R3; In Trouble Again R5; Big Pink R7

Tioga
6/9/18, _Rose Run Rudi R5

Vernon
6/8/18, Skyway Hurricane R2

Yonkers
6/8/18, Motu Moonbeam N R7