Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch March 31-April 3

Yonkers presents leg 3 of the Matchmaker and Borgata pacing series. The Matchmaker is on Fridays; the Borgatas are on Mondays. This edition covers the Borgata’s third leg, to be reported in the following Preview.

Selected features and the never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch list (H2W) share keys to success in your exotic and win, place and show payoffs. Mohawk Miles returns next week due to the track’s brief hiatus. 

The Borgata series is underway. Here’s how we did in leg 2, Monday March 28.
R2 – Nandolo N ($3.10, $2.40, $2.10); Mach N Cheese (21-1), seventh
R4 – Whichwaytothebeach ($5.70, $4.20, 2.60), Pat Stanley N ($7.20, $3.40); Semi Tough (3-10), fourth; Exacta $32.80.
R5 – Chase H Hanover (8-1), eighth; Dragon Said (5-2), sixth
R7 – This Is The Plan ($2.20, $2.10); None Better A (scratched)
R8 – Covered Bridge (8-5), fourth

Thursday, March 31

POWER PLAYS

Hoosier, Race 3

Single-race exotics are available here as well as this begins a a $10k-guaranteed Pick-4 stream.
As far as beaten-favorite bet-backs go, HP Xanadu returns to Hoosier with a green light. She lost at Hoosier in its first week due to interference from the public’s second choice—Smile By The Beach—and still beat that one by 10 lengths. Leaving from the 8 hole this week is not a problem, per se, if she is not interrupted, no less by Smile By The Beach, who leaves from post 7.
Also in play for exotics is Eternal Bliss. Scratched at Hawthorne, she finished third in the same race with an steady gain at 13-1. And, Rosas Image takes a short dip coming from Miami where she hanged on the outside and struggled because of it.

Friday, April 1

MATCHMAKERS LEG 3

Yonkers, Races 4, 6, 8

Race 4
Although Miss You N will be a big favorite, we are going to take one more shot with Mystifying, who should be able to make the best of post 1 and offer a good price. With some stern competition leaving from the outside and threatening to compromise the favorites, Mystifying could steal it. As well, No Win No Feed A raced well last week and the Millers are serious about her chances here so she will be active in this mile.

Race 6
Blue Ivy raced and paid great last week while the crowd let her go. They may lean towards her here, which is not a bad sign. Beginning her season, Gia’s Surreal had a good prep qualifier.

Race 8
Scarlett Hanover had a good series start last week and in the 3 hole tonight looks to be best to beat 7-hold-starter Racine Bell, fastest of all the mares last week.

Saturday, April 2

POWER PLAYS

Saratoga, Races 1, 2

Here is a Daily Double/Parlay set-up with bet-backs as well as w/p/s pools action.

Race 1
Diamond Cowboy left in a hurry and dueled to get the top. Though he settled but was only able to finish fourth, a better trip, maybe wire-to-wire from post 8, should bring a decent price.

Race 2
Furious Beach has hit the board twice in four starts this season and raced better than his odds on March 19. From post 7 he will add some bucks to any combo with his name in it.

Monday, April 4

BORGATA LEG 3

Yonkers, Races 1, 3, 6, 8, 9

Race 1
Only six start in the first of five $50k divisions. Two enter the series but we are interested in Semi Tough, another in the series’ entrees by Ron Burke. American History will take the most win money and fly off the gate again but Semi Tough can haunt him. Last week he made up ground with an overland trip; this week he can suck along and finish faster to win.

Race 3
None Bettor A scratched last week when we liked him most in the division where This Is The Plan was beaten by 21-1 Ostro Hanover. Here, “None” can do the same to Leonidas A. Covered Bridge has been toying with serious involvement and needs this one for Burke to keep him going in the series.

Race 6
Pat Stanley N was ignored in the first leg, where he took second at 19-1 and then we added him in leg 2 (7-1) and caught the value-packed exacta with the favorite, our first choice, Whichwaytothebeach.

Race 8
Tattoo Artist has been competitive and cashing and here he has the spot to turn back This Is The Plan with a stronger mile than that one was beaten last week. In fact, adding Poseidon Seelster in exotics is a smart move to catch strong exotic prices; he showed much last week and is bound to offer good scratch.

Race 9
Josh Green brought Jack's Legend N from his Dover base and was stuck with post 8 starting the series. “Jack” had or gave nothing from post 8 but then he found the catbird seat and won over three top contenders (Leonidas A, American History and Nicholas Beach). That was only his second start of the season. Here he can once again manufacture a ground-saving spot against heavy speed and probably pay more.

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
4/3/22, +Myskillspaydabills R1; Hoosier Poppy R2; Trotterlicious R3

Dover
3/31/22, +Awigglenagiggle R3

Freehold
4/1/22, ae Gorgeous Ranay R1; +Sports Vision R4; Marilyn's Jo R6; James Riverside R9

Hoosier
4/1/22, Shady's Starlight R13

Meadowlands
4/1/22, +Western Showgirl R8; +Pappy Rocks R11
4/2/22, +Hes Gone Badder R8; +Hail Christian N R9

Meadows
3/31/22, +Aint Watching R7
4/1/22, Sportsbook Hanover R2; Beachesbeckonme R6; Shayna Rosa R7

Miami
3/31/22, Always Virgil R2

Monticello
3/31/22, +Dellas Boy R6; I Am Golden R6

Northfield
4/2/22, Filet Mignon R3; Bearcreekhoney R4; Wicked Ways R10

Northville
4/2/22, +Dali Special R1; +Shark In The Bay R6; +The Great I Am R7

Pocono
4/2/22, +Gray Dragon R11; +Kinda Lucky Lindy R14; +Papi Hanover R14
4/3/22, +Consus Victory R8; +Blenheim R8

Saratoga
4/2/22, Vintage Sauvignon R3; I've Got Hootspa R5; Mr Dunnigans R7

Yonkers
3/31/22, What's Your Beef R3; Heavens Showgirl A R7; Crazy Cute R7