Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch August 18-22

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, August 18

MOHAWK MILES

Each Thursday we highlight some probable long shots from Mohawk Park. If they do not win at first crack we add them to the H2W the following week as bet-backs or in selected features, adding new possibilities to this section.
R5 — #7 Speaktoyourmanager (4-1): Alagna’s mare just missed at 9-1.
R10 — #7 Wisk Key K (5-1): Just short at 11-1 gets the nod here.

Friday, August 19

GO GO SCIOTO

Scioto Downs

Two local features, each worth $100k are on the program.

Race 12
The #Senditin invitational field for FFA pacers has a few familiar steeds to offer. We are glad #4 Workin Ona Mystery (5-2) made it here. After the Dan Patch (DP), where he finished third while being dismissed at the windows, against Bulldog Hanover, he is positioned to take care of Charlie May and #8 Tattoo Artist (5-1), possible favorites, on the outside.

Race 13
The Cleopatra invite is for mare pacers looks as if it could offer a good price for a repeat win by #9 No Win No Feed A (12-1). Trainer Erv Miller brings the gal back after five days, having won a feature at Hoosier on DP night. She beat the two top ones there who should be the two top ones here and at another good price.

Saturday, August 20

PACERS SERVED

Charlottetown Driving Park’s signature event, The Gold Cup & Saucer, is worth $100k for the first time. A field of nine assembles after earning spots in trials.
#1 Major Hill (8-1) was underrated in his trials and both times finished second. At 16-1 against #9 Sintra’s (3-1) 1:50.3 win, he draws the inside to Sintra’s post 9. He is a good contender and with some racing luck he is an overlay winner of the GC&S.

MOUNTAIN STARS

Pocono

Six-digit purses dangle before division leaders at the Pennsylvania mountains range in full battle regalia for the start of the unofficial second half of 2022’s harness racing season.

Race 9 - Delmonica Hanover ($250k)
Soph-filly trotters from the “Oaks” challenge that race’s key status as much of the Aug. 6 field returns. Certainly reduced in prices are #1 Joviality S (5-2) and #3 Jiggy Jog S (3-1) returning to battle their division after losing to the guys. We take another stand for #2 Baptism (6-1) to upset for price and purpose.

Race 10 - James Lynch ($250k)
Soph-filly pacers are competitive this year so we let the probable favorite #7 Max Contract (5-2) go for #3 Wickedly Innocent (10-1), Nancy Takter’s other filly in this event (#6 Treacherous Dragon (6-1) is here, too) since she is racing better than her stable mate with a Philly win in her last.

Race 11 - Max Hempt ($300k)
Soph-colt pacers will shuffle early over the five-eighths track but the best-case scenario will be #6 Mad Max Hanover (4-1) saving ground to charge late or owning the three turns with the force of step that could work better on three turns than two. As well, he’ll be a good price against #1 Beach Glass (3-1). Beware of #2 Layton Hanover (12-1) as an element in exotics.

Race 12 - Ed Beal, Jr. ($300k)
The Hambo gang, plus a few vagrants and minus the gals, test the 50-1 champ #1 Cool Papa Bell (5-2), but he’s going to take most of the win pool. We liked him in the Hambo elim (finished third), gave him up for a filly in the final and here we let the public have him while we back #6 Temporal Hanover (3-1). He finished third at 10-1 in the final and should excel against these at a price, too.  

Horses to Watch

H2W Legend

Review our choices and confirm the wagers available at the prescribed track. H2W offers possible contenders researched from reviewing races. Horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track with the date of their race and the race number (R6 ) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it appears on the list for the second time (horses are listed twice only if, at first, they failed to win. An “ae” signals also-eligible. Types of wagers to make are based on your judgment.

H2W LIST

Hawthorne
8/19/22, Lousraptor R5
8/20/22, Pebbles De Vie R3; Late Night Date A R5

Hoosier
8/19/22, +Fishyriggins R5; Goo Goo Won R13; +Gazing Star R14

The Meadows
8/18/22, Miki The Clown R5; Swipe Right R10

Monticello
8/18/22, Tinos Pulse R4; +Giddyallyougot R11; +Hypothetical R11

Philly
8/18/22, Priceless Shadow (ae) R1

Plainridge Park
8/18/22, Gone Madigan R2
8/19/22, Great Pop Up R7

Pocono
8/20/22, Prince Of Tides R1; Dribbling Bi R3
8/21/22, Jim Blue R2; +Concur R5

Running Aces
8/18/22, Hankscoltfortyfive R2; +Easy Three R6; A Little Rusty R9

Saratoga
8/20/22, American Soul R1; +Top Recruit R13

Scioto Downs
8/18/22, Wildcat Victoria R7; Jengish Chokusu R15
8/19/22, +Marloe Hanover R10; +Herculisa R11
8/20/22, Narcian Jewel R13

Vernon Downs
8/19/22, Winkys Wow R3; +Metro Matty R7;
8/20/22, +Stirling Ensign R6; Serious Savannah R13; +All Heart I Am R13

Yonkers
8/19/22, +Saratoga Blue Chip R2
8/20/22, +Torkil R6