Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch Dec. 22-26

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, Dec. 22

MOHAWK MILES

Each Thursday we are highlighting races featuring probable long shots at the Canadian harness meet. All horses that do not win at first crack appear the following week in the H2W as bet-backs or in selected features, adding new possibilities to this section.

R3— #9 Warrawee Yankee (5-2): Won with strong brush, can repeat.
R4—#7 Mats MVP (8-1): Steady with cover, third at 18-1.
R8—#4 Lilys Lass (4-1): Settled for second at 20-1.
R10—#1 Zippidy Zoom (10-1): Wasted early speed in last, back in gear here.
R11—#5 Peggy J (4-1): Good to rebound after strolling a mile.

FEATURES

Rosecroft, Race 1

Starting the program, #6 Galveston (8-1) deserves a look. Trainer Amanda Malone sends the pacer from a sixth-place finish that offered more support from backers than expected. At 3-1, Galveston finished an evenly spent mile won by a 40-1 shot over two house favorites that rode the overland route. Advantage longshot in the traffic. The lightly raced Maryland-bred could show off in this field and forecast a big Daily Double with a win.

POWER PLAYS

Yonkers, Race 6 

This trot for elders gets our attention from Andrew Adamczy’s #5 Hoolie N Hector (6-1). As a trainer, Adamczy did well at Freehold and set his stock into more expensive contests in New York, serving the public well enough with overlays. “Hoolie” is one of those and should be considered here to help hoist the price of single-race exotics—there should be an exacta, trifecta and a superfecta. We would consider #6 B Nicking (6-1) and another one of the top public choices to also contribute.

Friday, Dec. 23

FEATURES

Philly, Race 10

From far behind last week, #1 Arabella’s Cadet (12-1) covered mighty ground and finished second by three-quarters of a length at 16-1. This slight step up is of no concern. She has a good launching spot and may save ground this time and unleash a winning charge at the right time to win.

The Meadows, Race 9

Graduating from campaigns in California and Minnesota, #1 Alilthundadownunda (6-1) came east. Trained by Nick Roland, the stallion was taken from the Midwest and West Coast circuit roster to take on “the big boys.” Such a move has not recorded a successful history in decades, so the general majority of experts feel Alilthundadownunda won’t be up to snuff against east coast competition. We think he will.

Consider Alilthundadownunda has earned $128k—a sterling amount on the dual-track circuit west of Pittsburgh. He has a 1:51.2 mark. Alilthundadownunda may become the first pacer to acclimate and succeed well since Dare You To, who broke a Pompano track record in 1990 after commanding his division at the ill-fated harness circuit on the left coast. Follow him and back him, especially if the betting public dismisses his successful career elsewhere.

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

Cal-Expo
12/26/22, Northbrook Ron R4; +Heza Big Dealer R9; Street Parade R10

Cumberland
12/22/22, Alwaysshowfaith R4; Easteriffic R8

Dayton
12/23/22, Always On The Hunt R13

Dover Downs
12/28/22, +Southwind Mina R8
12/29/22, +Hickok Forty Five R4; +DS Heartland R12

Freehold
12/23/22, +Aida De Vie R4; Skateboard Chic R5; Goinroundncircles R6

The Meadows
12/22/22, Party Central R1; Gods Spirit N R5

Monticello
12/22/22, +Shadow Isreadytogo R8

Northfield Park
12/23/22, +Rockin Deo R4

Philly
12/23/22, Angels Folly R7; Caviart Eden R13
12/24/22, +Undrthsouthrnsun N R11

Rosecroft
12/22/22, +Rusty Rambo R4; Maurice R5; +Redding Hanover R6; Costello R15