Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch July 27-31

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 27

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 2—Kinnder Hotblood; Bet-back from last week, still in contention here.
Race 5—Sister Act; Frosh got started late and gained well.
Race 8—Blue Katana; We never dismiss a frosh product of Kadabra.

EMPIRE KIDS

Yonkers

Frosh-filly trotters go for $77K plus on the half-mile.

Race 4—Only one filly is not sired by Chapter Seven. Communion Money (Crazy Wow) leaving from post 7 comes from the barn of Jared Bako and has all the class needed to handle the post.

Race 6—Outsider Erin is bound to improve here. She’s by E L Titan and a divisional promise for veteran Dan Daley.

HOOSIER-BREDS

Hoosier

Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) divisions ($67K plus) for soph-colt pacers are on the agenda.

Race 8—Without traffic, this should be an easy mile for JD’s King James. He's steps away from winning after cashing a great deal from two of the INSS legs.

Race 12—Chocluck Chip is so far a cash machine for James Yoder and belongs in the top tier of the INSS division. He could again go off at high odds and again prove his presence is true.

Friday, July 28

TROT TODDLERS

Saratoga

Frosh-filly trotters go for $85K plus on the half-mile.

Race 4—An eight-hole starter has a shot here worth some attention. Erv Miller’s Usosweet Blue Chip is by Devious Man, a sire on the rise. The starting point adds value to her addition in any bet.

Race 5—At Buffalo, On The House was a beaten favorite by a skinny neck. Ake Svanstedt’s filly leaves from post 7, and a finishing spot anywhere on the board may offer value to any exotic.

Saturday, July 29

HELLO ADIOS

Meadows

A good reason to pass the Adios elims was exactly what happened. The huge favorites made the miles moot. The final, however, must be approached in an effort to cash well as we back the scenario where the two easy elim winners joust into flames.

Seven Colors, a good sophomore getting little respect so far, earned his way into the final for trainer Brian Brown, and he must be given a fair shake in the final. His elim (at 16-1) found him short, still finishing in 1:48.3, as fast as the place finisher and only a tick off Cannibal’s win.

This Stay Hungry colt is up for a big mile, big enough to upset It’s My Show if he lets that one work hard as other hot feet come a-challenging.

HAMBLETONIAN ELIMS

Meadowlands

Two fields of 10 for $100K each race for berths in next week’s August classic.

Elim 1—Let the short-priced, obvious colts go and look for one that can win this and pay more than when he races in the final. That colt for us is Kierkegaard K. Ake Svanstedt’s super-bred boy raced a big mile in the “Dancer” and has still not offered his best. This may be it.

Elim 2—Although Air Power inherits our top 10 No. 1 spot since Bond is not here, let’s let him take it easy, still making the final, and give this one to a pricier outsider—One Hundred Poof. Two moves in his recent mile and nearly no support at 41-1, bring big cash to the table for who-cares-if-he-stinks-in-the-final players.

EXTRAORDINARILY OAKS

Meadowlands

Two fields of 10 for $40K each race for berths in next week’s soph-filly trot stakes.

Elim 1—Walner Payton was a beaten favorite by a whisker among top fillies, and trainer Chris Ryder knows she belongs here and could take the elim and the final.

Elim 2—An elim and a final have one name. Bond.

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 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-pari-mutuel fair. They will get a second time on the list when returning to a betting race.

Cumberland
7/28/23, Richsnortherndream R12

Hoosier
7/27/23, Pedro’s Dream R3; Morning Sunrise R13
7/28/23, Kerrin Joseph A R4

Meadowlands
7/28/23, +Immanuel KS R7

Meadows
7/27/23, Alonso R10

Monticello
7/27/23, Got Hot Mom R3; +Nihilated Truth R5; Teeter R9

Northfield
7/28/23, Im Outta Here R2; Call Belle R4; Coupe Deville R7
7/29/23, Figureitoutgus R9

Northville
7/29/23, Scarlet Cat R1; Who Deen E R4

Plainridge
7/27/23, Nineteenth Man A R7; Quarrel R8

Pocono
7/30/23, Pauc Hanover R3; Love That Smile R11

Running Aces
7/27/23, +Dt Pet Attack R6; +Brooklyn Moonshine R6; Give Me This Dance R7; Wonder Of Love R8

Saratoga
7/28/23, +Circuit Party R13; Beantown Madness R15
7/29/23, Gubner R12

Scioto
7/27/23, +What A Dandy R14
7/28/23, Ferretti R12

Tioga
7/27/23, +Knight Angel R7

Vernon
7/28/23, +Unusual Clarity R7; +Surf The Web R10

Yonkers
7/27/23, Max R8; Prestige Seelster ae R12
7/29/23, Prestige Seelster R3