Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch Sept. 15-18

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, September 15

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.
R1 — #7 Knowitallwes (5-2): Blueblood qualified to make time and do better here.
R8 — #7 Kharlamov (7-2): Good mile with a late move.

GRANDER

Mohawk

A pair of Grand Circuit (GC) Champlain Stakes for frosh-fillies ($82k) and frosh colt trotters headline the evening’s program.

Race 3
Revved up from a decent qualifier, #4 Tactical Planner (10-1) should pay a good price in this short field of filly youngsters.

Race 4
In the first of two colt divisions, #7 Gaines Hanover (8-1), the lone product of Cantab Hall, comes off a sharp conditional on the premises and can repeat.

Race 6
The second episode for the fillies calls for a bet-back on #4 Winooski (10-1). The well-bred gal finished in time in third qualifying for this mile.

Race 7
The other colts wind up the GC action for the evening in an 11-horse field. We care for #6 Thunderously (15-1), a Walner colt close to winning last week at 28-1.

Friday, September 16

JERSEYITES

Meadowlands

More New Jersey Classic series finals are on tap. Here are our comments on the six-digit events in order of their appearance on the program.

Race 4 — (2yo filly pace) $150k
Lazarus N sired five of the six in the field and yet the only Keystone Velocity filly, #1 Ucandoit Blue Chip (1-1), is destined to be the top choice. As a key in exactas, put the longest shots behind her if you play this at all.

Race 6 — (2yo filly trot) $275k
The second division is only five fillies long where a fair price for #4 Grand Fashion (2-1), a Walner gal from the super Jim Campbell barn, could emerge.

Race 7 — (2yo filly trot) $100k
Ten second-tier fillies in the division present a crowded contest with many probable results. #4 Tactical Mounds (8-1) was impressive finishing second at 12-1, beaten by 11-1 #3 Bell Ciao (3-1), also in this field. We back the former, who only lost due to a starting duel that cost her precious steps.

Race 8 — (2yo colt trot) $275k
#3 Oh Well (5-2) is by and large the best in this field so his price will be low but perhaps still an overlay. It’s your call.

Race 9 — (2yo colt trot) $100k
Of the two Marcus Melander colts we’ll take the second-time starter, #2 Air Power (8-1). There is little to hold against the Muscle Hill newbee. And that’s that.

Saturday, September 17

GRANDEST

Mohawk

Grand Circuit action continues with notable features, here in order:

Race 3 — Shes A Great Lady (elim 1) $35K
Frosh-filly pacers first of two elims features #7 Charleston, a recent winner in tow for her second-straight win.

Race 4 — Metro Pace (elm 1) $40k
#1 Goldin Greatness, big winner from Meadowlands as a favorite, crosses the border to earn a spot in the big mile final.

Race 8 — Metro Pace (elim 2) $40k
We hit #5 Ants Marching’s Meadowlands win at double digits and forgive Nancy Takter’s student for a poor showing in a Champlain to bet here.

Race 10 — Milton Final, $230k
The $230k Milton Final mare pace offers 10 coming from last week’s elims. Even though #4 Test Of Faith is always the favorite to beat her division foes, this is a field that can create the kind of shuffle-and-strain quarters that result in her defeat—even if by a hair.
#2 Mikala’s big brush in her elim was not enough to beat “Fatih” but she clocked the same mile chasing her. As well, #1 So Much More raced a mighty trip even getting hanged in a duel early. And the crowd may count too much on the other elim winner, #3 Grace Hill, presenting good odds to upset, hopefully, with So Much 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

Freehold
9/16/22, +Pop I R6; +Louis R6; Two Hip Dip R6

Hoosier Park
9/15/22, Brooklets Desire R11
9/16/22, Apple Valley Art R1; The Thunder Rolls R4 (ae); Serious Miki R10; Odds On Pick Six R14

Meadowlands
9/16/22, +Beyond Words N R11; Primo Vomo R12; Lindythefourteenth R13

The Meadows
9/15/22, +Seein Red R2; +Sweet Pink R10
9/16/22, Cherry Peep R10

Monticello
9/15/22, Captain Mulzac R3; +Pay Later R10

Northfield Park
9/17/22, Diamondtequilashot R15

Northville Downs
9/17/22, Royal Assassin R10

Plainridge Park
9/15/22, +The Wise One R4

Pocono
9/17/22, Reys N A Ruckus R2; Undertaker R7; Regal Son R12

Red Mile
9/18/22, +Fast As The Wind R6; +Caviart Leeloo R9; +Calgary R9

Running Aces
9/17/22, Antetokounmpo R7; +Ex Why Zee R8; +Cruzin Coco R9; Cobra Venom R11

Saratoga
9/17/22, Umberto R3; Time For George R10
9/18/22, Gigfy R6; Reign Of Honor R6
9/19/22, Purameri R5

Scioto Downs
9/15/22, Rocket Russell R7; +Power Rankings R9

Vernon Downs
9/16/22, Jenny Lake R7

Yonkers
9/15/22, Game Of Shadows R6; +Dribbling Bi R7; +Dresden R8