Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch July 7-11

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 7

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.
R3 — #1 Twin B Showmance: Freshman from promising sire won a qualifier.
R7 — #5 Lyons Somewhereboy: Disappointed backers, returns to prove worthy..

Friday, July 8

PA SIRES STAKES

The Meadows

Race 6
There’s $54k for the sires-stakes fields of filly pacers in three events. Though favorites rule in this young class, we chase prices using current sire stats. In this first race, a daughter of Stay Hungry, #3 Racin Hungry, won first time out for Scott McEneny and gets our vote for another win at a price as bettors back stock from familiar trainers like Ron Burke and Jennifer Bongiorno.

Race 7
#1 Proud Mary, a Sweet Lou filly, begins her career here but that may not mean a good price if the crowd uses driver Dave Palone as a reason to back her. Outsider #8 Alexa's Sunshine (Stay Hungry), Ron Burke’s other filly, gets the nod for having chances better than her odds due to the post.

Race 10
The Always B Miki filly #3 Summer Flame was faster finishing second in a Philly mile against older horses than most of this field can hope to go for a while. She should offer a good price, too, with rarely backed Nik Drennan as trainer.

NY SIRES STAKES

Saratoga

Race 5
There’s $39k for the sires-stakes fields of colt trotters in four events. #4 Chapercraz, one of two colts by Crazy Wow gets the nod in his first start. Trainer Trond Smedshammer likes Crazy Wow progeny and is driving to help it do its best

Race 6
From the first crop of Met's Hall comes #3 Daley Rep, worthier than its 10-1 morning line. The sire will become popular as time goes by so catch some of his colts and fillies before they become favorites.

Race 7
Julie Miller trained Met's Hall and she likes this son of the trotter, #3 Met Your Request. This one may not offer as much as the previous race’s son of the sire but will be worthy of backing.

Race 8
Michelle Crawford’s Crazy Wow product, #2 Barney Goldstein, is a strong outsider in this green group but he could begin his New York career with a high-paying surprise. He won his prep in a qualifier that indicated he can go much faster.

Saturday, July 9

ZWEIGS

Vernon

Race 8
Some of the top soph- trotting fillies go for $123k in the Harry Zweig and there are good arguments for a few. A bold but true chance could be taken on Dan Daley’s #5 Yanaba, who’s proven she likes to win and be fighting at the wire with four wins and two places in six starts. She’ll be a good price against Ake Svanstedt’s duo.

Race 9
The Zweig colts go for $310k and present Hambletonian colt prospects. #9 Fast As The Wind drew post 9, which may not be so dire a spot if the speed burns out midway. We are sticking with #4 Cool Papa Bell, who could be as good as the best ones here working his way to a Hambo peak.

M-PACE ELIMS

Meadowlands

Two $50k elims decide the field for the classic Meadowlands Pace on June 16.

Race 6
The first elim field proves a single pacer does not dominate the soph crop of ‘22, as has been the case over the years in this event. But the elims over the last two decades have brought home some pricey pacers. Here, we like #7 Mad Max Hanover. He is as fast as they come and may be a better price than some colts he is as good as on a given night.

Race 10
With #2 Hammering Hank withdrawn after sustaining an injury that will keep him out of racing for several months, we are focusing on #6 Night Hawk. He could start next week's final as a co-favorite if he races his best tonight, as he should, giving fair warning that he is peaking just in time.

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

Buffalo
7/8/22, Heavy Handed Hanna R3; Franks Watching R4

Hawthorne
7/8/22, Et Tu Brute R3; Captain Velocity R8; +Illini Jetset R11; +Primo Giovanni R12
7/9/22, +Mike Mike R9 (ae)

Hoosier
7/7/22, +Filthy McNasty R3; +Tony N Rock R4; Longwood Lolly R10; Fox Valley Sampson R13; Frontier Metis R13

Meadowlands
7/7/22, +Sweet Tactics R3
7/8/22, +Smooth Landing R1; +Brush N Crush R4; Texican N R7
7/9/22, +Take All Comers R9

Meadows
7/7/22, Keystone Stevie R11
7/8/22, +Always B A Star R10

Monticello
7/7/22, Astor R1; Kabang R2

Northfield
7/9/22, +Wake N Bake R4; +House Edge R9

Oak Grove
7/10/22, Innit Hanover R7; Bad Medicine R8

Ocean
7/7/22, Master Clave R8; Rockin Ellie R10

Philly
7/8/22, Purple Sky R1

Plainridge
7/7/22, Explosive Ridge R2; Doc Goldenfleece R5; Ubanji R6; +Swan Fine Lady R8; Sortie Hanover R9

Pocono
7/9/22, Chapolier R8
7/10/22, +Morrockin K R7

Running Aces
7/7/22, Bestaluck R3; +Avaya Hanover R6; +Oneida Blue Chip R8

Saratoga
7/9/22, +Sir Shadow R9
7/10/22, +Winged Foot R4; +HP Double Expresso R9

Scioto
7/7/22, T Barrr R12

Vernon
7/8/22, Fancy Knows R1
7/9/22, All Heart I Am R1

Yonkers
7/7/22, Charlatan Hanover R3; Drama Act R7
7/8/22, Street Gossip R6
7/9/22, +Serrano Volo R4