Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch July 13-17

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, July 13

MOHAWK MILES

Each week, we highlight probable longshots from Mohawk Park (WoMo) 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—Lyons Shine On; Broke on the lead at Georgian, smooth trip does the trick at the big track.
• Race 4—Kinnder Hotblood; Kadabra filly full of good blood.
• Race 9—State Of Affairs; Easy early lick could cut all quarters.

 

Friday, July 14

FROSH PHILLY

Philly

Two-year-old Pennsylvania-breds are learning their stuff at Philly. In the first sires-stakes split ($40K), Little Mark is a single Cantab Hall colt, and he’s one of the last from the great sire. He’ll be an overlay against the favorites but worth a punch.

In the second split, we like Megan Scran’s Vaquero Blue Chip (Father Patrick). Her barn is healthy and growing, and this one looks to be a handsome addition.

Split three could be a marker for Greenshoe’s first crop with Poisonpoke, handled by Ake Svanstedt, who is a picky frosh buyer, and this one could fire big first out.

In episode three, another Cantab Hall product — T C I — goes, this one for Ron Burke, who’s raring to get into the frosh-colt community early.

 

Saturday, July 15

MEADOWLANDS MENAGERIE

Meadowlands

Races 3, 4

Del Miller Memorial ($105K)
Soph-filly trotters prep for the Oaks. In the first division, you may get a bettor’s deal for Secret Volo. She’s looking strong coming off her Yonkers win.

In the second episode, the key is Bond. She is up for beating the boys and skipping the Oaks to do it.

Race 6

Hambletonian Maturity ($410K)
Uh oh, what to do with Jiggy Jog S? Is she a key for exotics with two outsiders? Is an upset possible or even worth a forecast? Pass? A small investment on Cool Papa Bell won’t hurt because one or two in this field could get “Jog” breathy, and the best to take advantage of that is “Papa.”

Race 8

Mistletoe Shalee ($169K)
Eleven soph-filly pacers will all be on their toes for this, but Sylvia Hanover has already earned her dominating place in the division. Play or pass.

Race 9

Dorothy Haughton Memorial ($159K)
If you believe Test Of Faith has done all she will ever do, then hope our recent score with Silver Label was no fluke and she will attack again. Perhaps she won’t go off as high, but she may still be worth the odds. It’s your call on the value.

Races 10, 13

The Stanley Dancer Memorial ($138K)
The dual fields aim for Hambletonian elims with confidence. Air Power is still our second choice to the filly Bond, but her Hambo appearance is yet to be determined, so we may not like the price, but Air Power will be flying and may be a low-priced, high-percentage win bet here.

In the second division, we'll bite the bullet and take Svanstedt’s outsider, Chamba. He was stuffed with an overland route at Philly (finishing fifth) with a no-confidence crowd making him 54-1, but beware the ides of July — a good trip here can light up the tote board.

Race 11

Meadowlands Pace ($668K)
Ammo has had no luck of the draw. His stock goes up again having drawn post 9 for this final. This is going to be our “I-told-you-so” upset choice, though, since he has led our top 10 for the event through his hardship trips. If he gets a trip like Cannibal got in his winning elim, Ammo can fire big (remember Cannibal was also on our top 10 list). The stock is cheap for what it could return if three-quarters burns the limestone or Ammo uncorks all he has saved and fires to control the pace.

Race 12

William R. Haughton Memorial ($444K)
We caught Bythemissal last year at a big price when he beat the crowd choices in the Adios, and he came back at four to win three straight for Burke, and here he has plenty of speed to target; a win wipes out the majority prices.

 

Horses 2 Watch List

• Horses 2 Watch are selected from previous handicapping stories
• A horse mentioned in the Horses 2 Watch (H2W) list are considered ‘active’
• A named horse is suggested as a selection for win, place, and show wagering (across-the-board) with the Horses to Watch list providing across-the-board prices
• Exactas listed include a H2W horse finishing...
  • second to a race favorite
  • or if the first two finishers are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses are listed—a cold exacta)
  • The note “OK” determines that prices are correct (even when a show price exceeds a place price or all prices are the same)
• Please note that some results reflect horses racing after the blog posts (they appear the following week)
• Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo, Follow for late opinions and selections
• H2W followers should note that some horses on the list will not appear for a second time when they follow their first time with a race at a non-parimutuel fair. They will still get a second time on the list whenever they return to a race at a parimutuel track.

Buffalo
7/14/23, +Tap Tap Tap R6

Hoosier
7/13/23, +Tellittoella R3; +Tantrum Blue Chip R7; Where's Drogon R11

Meadowlands
7/15/23, +Good Rockin R2

Meadows
7/13/23, +Bettorbytheseaside R7; +Tardis R9

Monticello
7/13/23, Denali Seelster R3

Northville
7/14/23, Rocks Stormyd R4; Starlit Thiswanday R9; +Dont Dally Sally R10
7/15/23, Don'tcallmefrancis R4

Philly
7/13/23, Joyces Secret R1
7/14/23, +A Fearsome Hanover R12

Plainridge
7/13/23, Some Attitude R3; +Kokanee Seelster R4; Smokin Molly R9

Pocono
7/15/23, +Regal Son R6; Ocean Ridge N R8; Immanuel KS R9; Four More Years R11

Running Aces
7/13/23, +Aerial View R7; Rockin With Lou R9; +Directing Traffic R11

Saratoga
7/14/23, Pats Way R9; Makadushin N Cheez R10; Circuit Party R11
7/15/23, Ima Happy Fella Gb R6

Scioto
7/13/23, +April’s Surprise R2
7/15/23, Pine Master R7; Mastery R10; Rangers Sureshot R10

Tioga
7/14/23, Knight Angel R5; Caviar’s Yankee R6

Vernon
7/14/23, Foreign Moni R1; Unusual Clarity R8

Yonkers
7/13/23, Train Station R7; Vali Hanover R9; +Pinewood Hanover R12