Harness Prospects Perform To Produce Healthy Exotic Value
The TwinSpires harness blog—your winter edition, continues to select races from North American raceways for profitable plays in the same way it represents stakes races. Our selected features and Power Plays (PoP) serve the bettor with unique contenders for all types of wagers—as already proven in our first preview blog when the year turned over . Do your own handicapping again this year and respect our off-the-beaten-track opinions to improve to your tickets.
The exclusive H2W (horses-to-watch) list has already produced an $80 winner and a few double-digit ones, too. Along with our seasonal features, H2W selections tend to supply toteboard finishers to use in wagers of any single- or multi-exotic races.
POWER PLAYS
Flamboro / Races 4, 10
Thursday / Jan. 9
Let’s look seriously at two races using suggested contenders from last week’s productive PoP and H2W at the Ontario track.
In Race 4, Motor Dame returns after finishing fifth in the characters of a Win (Pick) 4 leg. She went off at 8-1. Leaving from post 7, she started slowly as the 8 horse stormed to the lead and carried the inside leavers behind him more than a half mile while the other five starters seemed to be pacing in a different event, 10 or more lengths behind. She must be given another shot.
Also in Race 4, Twice An Angel comes back from a race where she sat in the catbird seat for three calls and was still in range of shaking loose and closing when she suffered broken equipment that stalled her to finish fourth. She was the favorite in that race and deserves a serious look in this affair. The pair of these should both be on the toteboard, making them useable in single- and multi-race exotics.
Three horses from the last leg of a Win 4 are part of the 10th-race field on this program. The most valuable of them turned out to be the longest shot, Cabernet, who closed out the $105 exacta with the winner, the race favorite.
Of the two others, Bette Mittler closed strongly to make up 12 lengths and finish fifth in the Cabernet race, and Credit To Burn traversed the mile on the outside, sometimes uncovered, maintaining a 3-length deficit from the leader, though finishing seventh. The trio could very well become the elements of the exacta and trifecta in various combos and should add value to them.
FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES
Meadows / Races 4, 10, 13
Friday / Jan. 10
Sometimes we expect too much from a suggested contender. This was the case with Beach House, whose performance last week was so miserable it seemed not to be a performance at all.
Finishing ninth, having only been as far from the top of the pack as seventh leaves little evidence to recommend support the following week. That is, unless we praise the best part of the 71-1 shot’s mile—it was a smooth-gaited trip. Not breaking stride may have been the secondary goal, since that was the main problem for sketchy races before returning for a good qualifier.
So, considering the probable price here, we endorse Beach House in Race 4 where few to none will take the chance. Certainly, a finish that puts Beach House on the board will inflame any exotic.
In Race 10, from last week’s PoP at the Pittsburgh-area track, RN Nate returns to incite backing. In the end, RN Nate was only 15-1 but dragged along the field to finish as though he were 50-1. He shows up in a poor field here and may still be able to prove what we endorsed about him.
Beachesbeckonme takes a shot in Race 13 off of a win as a favorite. He just missed getting the draw to be endorsed by our deadline then and returns here for what looks like a romp. Coming off of a win in this class will grab the attention of bettors but for all of its obviousness, including Aaron Merriman’s involvement, “Beaches” may not become an overwhelming favorite.
FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES
Yonkers / Races 2, 6, 8
Saturday / Jan. 11
The 2020 Yonkers meet will offer programs strewn with single- and multi-race exotics that feature the high-purse pacing and trotting events that attracts top horses and horsemen. Keep note of this activity when you are looking to “bury a number” in exotic-wagering action:
There are superfectas in even-numbered races (plus the evening’s last race).
A Pick 3 (16-percent takeout) begins with races 2,3,6,8 and 10 for 12-race cards.
A Pick 4 begins races 1 and 7.
A Pick 5 starts with race 5 (20-percent takeout).
There are also triples in every race (pending enough starters).
Through the blend of exotics on the first Saturday of Yonkers’ 2020 meet, we offer some contenders based upon the win percentages of the best in the trainers’ colony. These men and women rank high and start collecting cash early in the seasons.
Race 2
Buen Camino – Trond Smedshammer loves Yonkers for his trotters and particularly places those he feel will benefit from the four-turn trials.
Race 6
Trotting Grace – Travis Alexander trotters often go under the radar, especially when popular horses compete with them. From the coveted post 1 in a short field, this one could go all out at a price here.
Hill Of A Horse – Never underestimate Erv Miller’s trotters in chunky purse events at Yonkers.
Race 8
Herehecomesarockin – Another Alexander horse where he uses Matt Kakaley to drive; Travis trusts Matt, who often delivers some big priced winners.
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
1/10/20, Capitol Hill R3; Hi Ho Julio R7
1/11/20, Bet Together R3
Dover
1/9/20, Sweet Rock R11
Flamboro
1/9/20, +Momara R3; +Hammering Haley R7
Freehold
1/9/20, +Allies Dragon R1; +Lemonaideshine R6
1/10/20, Noble Warrawee R2
Meadowlands
1/10/20, Miss Irish Rose A; +I Will Do It R9; Union Forces R11; +Awake My Soul ae R12
Miami
1/10/20, +Special Luke R2; Onspeed N R7; Cruzen Cassi R9
1/11/20, Haul N Dash R2; Big Pink R7
Monticello
1/9/20, Some Gold R2; Dafinaty R7; Bullville Terror R9
Northfield
1/11/20, +Opaline Blue Chip R1; +Miss Dollar Mam R14
Pompano
1/9/20, Commentary R2; Sports Analyst R9
1/12/20, Doo Wop Hanover R4; Hesallaboutdabass R7
Yonkers
1/9/20, Mufasa AS R3; My Sister Lucie R4; Victoryisallyouneed R9
1/10/20, +Wisdom Tree R10
WoMo
1/9/20, +Shad R7
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