Forceful Adios Final Field, Three Splits Divide Fillies In Adioo Volo At The Meadows; Harrington Handles Lucrative Delaware Divisions

 

Next on the features agenda is another focus on the glamour-boy pacers with the Adios Pace at the Meadows. The event’s low-key sister event, the Adioo Volo, co-stars on the big July 28 afternoon program.

The night before the Adios, the Meadowlands presents elims for another classic, the frosh-filly trotter Jim Doherty Memorial final. The colt-companion  Peter Haughton Memorial will not hold elims, going straight to a final on Hambletonian day.

Speaking of youngsters, our exclusive Freshman Frolics section offers more opportunities in the green divisions after a knock-out profit week.
 
Our Hambletonian Trail blog addresses the ladies as the Hambletonian Oaks elims set the stage for the glamour-girl trotters final. Plus, some colts are still racing on the edge of their connections’ decisions to enter the big dance on Aug. 4, so we cover their Grand Circuit events.

From many races across North America bettors find win, place, show and exotic pools available for play in the horses-to-watch (H2W) list, which goes through the following Monday. Explore these possibilities for use in any wagers of your choice. Do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections.

DELAWARE DELIGHTS

The state-bred sophomores race in their finals on July 26 at Harrington, the four Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) events worth $100,000 each.

The colt pace launches eight at the gate. The contenders are similarly productive. Top money-earner Slick Tony gets the rail and could share the lead in the win pool with Evolution Tour, leaving directly to his right. Well outside of them, Transitioning Joy, second in the revenue department this season, features the Lather Up connections on their home turf.

Cinder Block may be the best bargain here, having as strong a win percentage as the main two but most likely shuffled by the fans into the fourth betting position.

In the filly pace, eight are also stacked behind the wings. Which will lead the betting is a debate between Jamie’s Renegade (four wins for as many starts) and Go Sandy Go, the track’s top trainer’s leading earner here. We expect another homey to get support as “Wiggleit” connections send Ibeyoucanwiggle.

Time And Motion has been productive and may be every bit as good as the aforementioned, as well as she should have a better price on his head for a win.

Only six are attending the filly trot final, three of whom have not won this season. The big choice of the masses should be Déjà Vu Blue with the most earned, most wins most qualified to impress with an improving mile. The closest filly to an upset may be Vandalous. Certainly she will improve any exotic price if in the picture.

Seven soph colts make up the division’s final. Four have not won yet but Super Fly has won five of eight and that should attract the majority of bettors. He was earned thrice as much as any of the other six.

For a price, this could be the first winning mile for a better payoff if you back Brother Kenny. Five starts and two seconds among top company do not dismiss the chances for his first win this season.

THE DOHERTY GIRLS

A pair of $20,000 elims are a focus on July 27 at the Meadowlands as frosh-filly trotters contest for berths in the James Doherty Memorial Final.

In the first split there are a few in the field that could spark arguments for winning and not all are from the Jimmy Takter barn. Two fillies that are in the arguments, Susy and The Ice Dutchess, represent Takter. Both are blue-blooded and have debuts worthy of notice. Ron Burke’s solo entry, Hanovers Best, comes off a big win in her second start and a few others may be forgiven for breaking stride in races after wins. Tough stuff.

Perhaps out of view by the betting majority, Special Honor could offer major value for the Millers. Her recent race was extremely strong yet she may be overlooked. Also dangerous and certainly bound to be dismissed is Jezzy’s Legacy. Her breaking and losing in her first start, where she was heavily bet, could come back to haunt those tossing her from the mix.

The second elim will also lean the betting toward Takter stock, specifically with Beautiful Sin. She has not lost through her baby-race and pari-mutuels race campaigns thus far, making her, technically, five for five. The Millers challenge with French Café and Burke brings Fate Smiled.

Our fancy comes from close inspection of Starita’s five races. Joe Holloway’s Trixton filly has excuses for each race she lost in her first season. Granted, two are gait mistakes but even one of them is forgivable considering some interference. As is often the case with outside contenders we choose, Starita gets an endorsement for her inner performances, which show talent, as opposed to her finishes. A big plus is Holloway, who is great conditioning young fillies.

VOLO VOODOO

The Adios-companion stakes for fillies is the Adioo Volo. This year, on July 28, there are three divisions for the soph-filly pacers, each at $40,000-plus.

Six appear in round one, which appears to be an easy layover for Youaremycandygirl. She is the somewhat disappointing star of the division but from post 1 at the Meadows. Her main foe, however, interests us, especially if the crowd endorses Youaremycandygirl with too much financial enthusiasm. This foe is Serene Stride, who has been a surprise candidate for the division’s top position. Youaremycandygirl’s weakness may very well show if Serene Stride is on her game and as a second choice she is worth the support.

The second filly “Volo” presents another sextet. Top-earner Sidewalk Dancer may not be out-classed here but a good challenge could await her from Ross Croghan’s Painted Lady. This is a good time to back her because she will be giving her all in this major event with the most experience of them all she could find a way home first at a great price.

The last Volo has seven on tap, six of which will try to beat Alexa’s Power. She has been tough in her wins and her losses, missing the board but once in nine starts. Trainer Jim Campbell has her cashing checks faster than she can pace a mile. Here, where three of the fillies have not won yet in ’18 and one of them—Double A Mint—appears to be her major contender, Jim’s pacer could produce a romp.

THE ADIOS AMIGOS

Historically (created in 1967), The Adios Pace Final has not been a terrific betting race. Usually a mixture of a few top-tiered sophomores and a stray local or three, the Race for the Orchards was rarely a challenge to many handicappers. Could the 2018 final be any different than a fan-pleaser? It is possible based upon a simple scenario: Wes Delight will not be a favorite while he could take advantage of every horse that will be supported strongly by the betting public.

American History, winner of elim one, and Hitman Hill, winner of elim two, had things go their way to accomplish their scores. The former took the lead from Wes Delight after that one left hard from post 8 and was wide to get the top. Used, he surrendered the lead to “History” at the half and was just nipped at the wire by Done Well, who closed a bunch late on the speed. “Wes,” however tired, finished inline with his odds—third choice at 6-1.

In the second elim, it was public-choice Dorsoduro Hanover that strained early in a short duel with Hitman Hill. That one sucked along until the stretch when he used his cover capital to slice into the lead of “Dorsoduro.” Both elims were won by the poor circumstances of their foes. Of the two, Wes may have the edge in the final. Whether or not that pans out, Wes should go off at a decent, if not better, price than his 6-1 elim offering due to the crowd’s penchant for the obvious. In this case, the obvious is American History, followed by Dorsoduro, followed by Done Well, followed by “Hitman.” Putting Wes in a fifth spot for the win bet makes him the bet in an Adios Final that could produce a dual-digit winner—for a change.


FRESHMAN FROLICS

Two-year-old races at the beginning of each season are the most difficult events for handicappers to forecast winners, no less where their bets will have value. Every season’s start for us means extra work on sire productivity, so we can make wise wagers in freshman races. If you handicap the races below, be sure to respect those listed as contenders.

July 26
Scioto
My Trump Card R2
Hoosier
Frontier Telaphras R3

July 27
Meadows
Wheel And Deal R1; Cantab Ed R4; Keystone Abbey R8
Scioto
Vivi D R2; Be Not Nobody R3; Box Cars R5; Sugar And Spite R10
Red Mile
Princess Riley R5; Highway To The Sky R5
Meadowlands
Lady Lone Star R3

July 28
Vernon
Whisper Of Gilina R2; Sweet Deisel R4
Meadows
Soronno R4; Blue Ivy R6


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
 
Batavia
7/28/18, Surfers Paradise R4; Cobble Beach R5
 
Grand River
7/27/18, BJ Savanah R7

Hawthorne
7/27/18, +Last Dragon R6; Fox Valley Gemini R8

Hoosier
7/26/18, +Rockin Billy R5; +Daliocity R10
7/27/18, +Want Me R4

Meadowlands
7/28/18, Good Day Mate R3; +Mittnage A Trois R5

Meadows
7/28/18, +No Mas Amor R2

Mohawk
7/27/18, Nasty Rumor R12
7/28/18, Fine Diamond R6; Paparazzi Hanover R9

Northfield
7/28/18, +Betty Barley R5; +Crazy K R8; +Flawless Stone R9

Northville
7/27/18, Barbies Belle R8

Ocean
7/19/18, +Rock King Deo R2
 
Plainridge
7/26/18, +Midnite Craze R7

Pocono
7/29/18, +Shartin N R10

Red Mile
7/26/18, +Gee Whiz R5
7/28/18, +Grace An Mercy R5; Camera Queen R5

Running Aces
7/28/18, Imma Tank R3; Firedrake R5
7/29/18, Contemporary Legend R4; Mr Ranger R8

Scarborough
7/26/18, +Justice Department R6

Scioto
7/28/18, +Cumberland Gap R7; +Wittyville R7

Tioga
7/27/18, +Party Like A Lindy R9

Vernon
7/28/18, Bob N Tony R6; Walk The Floor R8

Yonkers
7/27/18, +Agent Q R12; +Freakonomics R10; +JK Heaven Sent R11
7/28/18, Bali R8
7/29/18, +Northern Credit R6