Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch Oct. 5, 2023

Selected features, stakes coverage and the never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch list (H2W) share keys to success in exotics, win, place and show payoffs.

Thursday, Oct. 5 

MOHAWK MILES

Each week, we highlight probable longshots from Mohawk Park in this features section. If they do not win at first crack, we add them to the H2W the following week as a bet-back while adding new possibilities to this Mohawk Miles section.

Race 3—Jayport Anna May; No late path to use last time.
Race 4—Pay The Price; Toss out last start, deserves another shot
Race11—Barstow Belle; Overland route ruined momentum.

Friday, Oct. 6

GLOBAL GRAND

Red Mile  

Two-year-old International Stallion Stakes ($67K-plus) adorn the final Friday program. Here is a list of our contenders in the races we feel sharp on:

Race 1—Smart Schooner: We were right last week, he’s got the stuff.
Race 2—Seaside Diva; Bet-back element for price on a Ron Burke student.
Race 4—Magic Hill; Uneven early speed last out, does better here.
Race 6—Bargain; Outside post is good this time around.
Race 8—Mars Hill; Prepping for the "Crown" mile without holding back.
Race 10—Peace Talks; Best value contender cannot read the tote board.

Sunday, Oct. 8

BACK TO THE FUTURITIES

Red Mile

The Red Mile hosts the Kentucky Futurity and Kentucky Filly Futurity on the closing card of its fortnight Grand Circuit meet on Sunday, Oct. 8. Due to the draw of the fields taking place after our posting deadline, we offer our probable contenders for both finals and the same horses, should they enter the respective consolations.

The 2023 Kentucky Futurity offers a guaranteed purse of $450K, and the Kentucky Filly Futurity offers $275K. Both events are in single-dash format; only one heat, the final, will go to post. 

Each race allows no more than 11 horses to compete — if 12 or more drop into the box, the 11 horses with the most purse earnings in 2023 receive entry preference. Red Mile will also host consolations for both events if at least six horses are available. The Kentucky Futurity consolation features a purse of $50K, and the Kentucky Filly Futurity consolation has a purse of $25K.

Among the fillies, Bond has proven to be the best of them. Her earnings prove it, and the fillies that may enter the Filly Futurity may have made plenty more had she not dominated them continually. Special Way demands attention, having a sparing season of five starts and still earning $200K-plus. Outsider Sadie Hanover has only lost one of seven starts to sit among the $200K earning list and would offer value.

Among the colts, the top four earners of $500K may offer odds better than their chances if they show up in the final (the consolation may not present it). However, they are all winning suspects. If on the final or consolation, the keen outsider is Chapercraz. The Ron Burke-trained colt won the N.Y.-bred final with his fifth win of the season. His runner-up stats are strong enough to threaten the name brands.

H2W LIST

Horses to watch (H2W) are strong contenders evaluated from overnight-race charts (including qualifiers), replays, and trainers’ current win percentages. Each horse appears in two consecutive lists if it does not win on its first listing.

H2W horses are suggested for win, place, show (across the board) wagering and are to be included in exotic combinations.

Exactas listed in H2W results reflect an H2W horse finishing second to a race favorite or if the first two finishers were on the list, when an asterisk appears for cold exactas. The note “ok” determines prices are correct when a show price exceeds the place price or all three prices are identical.

Some results reflect horses racing after preview blog posts and appear the following week. As well, some horses will not appear a second time when their first time is followed by a race at a non-parimutuel fair. They will get a second time on the list when returning to a betting race.

Batavia
10/6/23, +Denmark Seelster R6; +Flyhawk El Fuerte R13

Dayton
10/5/23, Newbie R10; +In Rock We Trust R11
10/6/23, +Trick Of The Light R3; Shadows Dancers R8

Freehold
10/5/23, Dry Ridge Ace R4; Sinatra De Vie R7
10/6/23, Jossie James A R4; Two Friskie To Pet R4

Hawthorne
10/6/23, +Allegheny Hanover R5
10/7/23, Ideal’s Nicole R8; Tookadiveoffdipper R11; +Vinny Lou R12

Meadows
10/5/23, +Bettorbytheseaside R4; Cathy Hanover R6

Monticello
10/5/23, +Penney’s Spirit R1; Seeuinnashville A R2; Royal Courtier R7

Northfield
10/8/23, Go Clara Go R3

Northville
10/6/23, Delightful Summer R2; Peter The Con R4
10/7/23, Mcfehr R1; Star Of Oz R3; Big Kan D R5

Plainridge
10/5/23, N Expense R6; Briar’s Desire R6; Kokanee Seelster R7; La Puddie A R9

Pocono
10/7/23, +Modern Rock R5

Rosecroft 
10/5/23, Always On Top R4; Blowin Smoke R8; +Boot Leg R9; Tom’s Twilight R10; Louthepirate R12; Jack Roger R13

Saratoga
10/9/23, +Quebecoise R9
 
Vernon
10/7/23, Super Betcha R5; Havana Ooh Nana R10
 
Yonkers
10/6/23, Commander Cathy N R2