Harness Racing: Breeders Crown 2021 week one

The Breeders Crown takes center stage for two weeks. This week, the eliminations decide next week’s final fields. As bettors we love eliminations; they can yield longshots that do not become champions. The fall classics are back at The New Meadowlands. We follow through with the never-ending TwinSpires H2W (horses-to-watch list) and continue Mohawk Miles, where we search for longshots.

MOHAWK MILES

Thursday / Oct. 21

Mohawk

Each week we highlight some probable longshots from Mohawk Park in this feature 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.

In Race 4 – Kobra Kai was hammered in the stretch at 7-2, finishing fifth. A better trip here wins it.

In Race 7 – Ridinlikeyastoleit is in from Flamboro and a place finish at 9-1 despite broken equipment.

CIRCUIT SHOWS

Thursday / Oct. 21

Philly

Grand Circuit Simpson stakes go this afternoon. Here is what we’ve decided for the pair of $41k for soph-filly trotters:

Race 6

The favorite is bound to be Hot As Hill, but we see an upset possibility from A Hopeful Prayer. Julie Miller’s daughter of Father Patrick is getting better and could get a perfect trip as the favorite tries to steal the mile.

Race 10

In this one, we pass on the Miller filly and support Evening Stroll. It’s only a six-horse field, but she may still be worth it as the probable third choice.

THE BREEDERS CROWN
ELIMINATION ELEMENTS

Friday / Oct. 22

Meadowlands

The Two-year-old pacers and trotters are in focus. Eliminations go for $25k each to for the four $600k finals on Oct. 29. Friday’s post time is 6:20 p.m. Here are our contenders for each race, in division order.

2yo colt trot / elim 1; R4Trainer Marcus Melander has had a rough season, but one of his frosh trotters that we have backed, Temporal Hanover, is peaking at the right time and could produce a smart price in this field of seven. His other colt, Letsdoit S, has also been on our watch and should be in the thick of this as well.

2yo colt trot / elim 2; R8
Cool Papa Bell appears for trainer Jim Campbell after a break knocked him out of a Red Mile event at 22-1, but the Chapter Seven colt could clearly be a major contender here staying flat and will offer a good price against a group that may not live up to the crowd’s measurements.

2yo colt trot / elim 3; R10
It’s Melander again for us with the late-season-charging Periculum. The crowd may be more supportive than we want, but that price may still be worthy of a win bet, no less for him to carry the exotics.

2yo filly trot / elim 1; R5
Venerable has yet to taste defeat, but neither has Melander’s Jaya Bae, though their streaks are very different. Jaya Bae faces her strongest competition, but with only two races raced and won, Melander drops her into the “Crown,” a leap of faith we respect and will follow for price and purpose.

2yo filly trot / elim 2; R6
Melander should have the favorite here with Joviality S. Seven wins for nine starts and a ton of money puts her atop these. Still, the better price and toughest competitor could be Ake Svanstedt’s Jiggy Jog S—at least in the elim.

2yo colt pace / elim 1; R7
Sire Huntsville has had a terrific season and is represented here by Caviart Camden, an upset in the making for the Tony Alagna student. His huge move in Lexington at 9-2 resulted in a place finish that asks for a bet-back situation like this.

2yo colt pace / elim 2; R9
This is a tough field, but Jeff Cullipher’s rich Always B Miki colt, True Blue Lindy, may be faster than he has displayed in five wins against lesser-bred foes. The fact that Cullipher brings him to this class at the track where he has excelled is a good factor to embrace.

2yo colt pace / elim 3; R11
Joe Holloway is not kidding with Early Action, recording seven wins and one place from nine starts. This Huntsville speedster, who took to the overland route to draw away and win in Lexington, should be afire here and is still not the favorite. Feel the flame.

2yo filly pace / elim R12
Eight of the fillies in this singl,e elim will be in the final but who’s on first? Brett Pelling’s sole frosh Crown competitor will offer moolah from post 10, and since you cannot count any of his horses out any time, Captaintreacherous-filly Treacherous Dragon will carry our money through the mile to beat the unbeaten Niki Hill, or participate in raising the exotics with her.

THE BREEDERS CROWN
ELIMINATION ELEMENTS

Saturday / Oct. 23

Meadowlands

Saturday’s post time is 12 p.m. Here are our contenders for each race, in division order.

3yo colt trot / elim 1 R3
The prime glamour boys go at it again, but the first of two elims is a strange collection of the main group we saw all season. Most interesting is Ake Svanstadt’s Fly Light. In the “Futurity,” he finished a strong third to Juubee in the best-of-the-rest late chargers at 32-1. He won before that at Lexington and will be a huge price for this field leaving from post 10.

3yo filly pace / elim 1 R4
Ten crowd the track for this elim with a trio up for favorite. Leaving to her left, though, is the outside contender we defend—Think Of Galaxies. Chasing Test Of Faith at Northfield Park, the 30-1 shot stayed even and may not win the final, but has a good shot at paying a good price here.

3yo filly trot / elim 1 R5
It’s a Melander decision for us, again. Iteration has yet to be propelled to do her best stuff in a stakes of late, but this is the kind of field she can surprise with a good trip and a late rush.

3yo colt pace / elim 1 R6
Any follower of this division at TwinSpires harness knows that we have not held Perfect Spring up as anything more than a win-pool money burner. So we love when he is in a field, no less one like this where the crowd will again put good money after bad. In fact, our boldest call rests again on Mysweetboymax. His 11-for-17 on the board record is more impressive than Perfect Sting’s since he defied many odds to do that well, and he is in a super ground-saving spot to upset.

3yo colt trot / elim 2 R7
Aside from Delayed Hanover getting a great trip and the possibility Dancinginthedark M does not break, it is difficult to do anything but watch Jujubee trot away with it. Still—for price and perfect we will back Svanstedt’s Hambo-elim winner.

Filly & mare trot elim R8
Pelling’s other Crown-elim appearance takes the form of When Dovescry and should offer a better price against these than her recent appearances.

3yo colt pace / elim 2 R9
This one is easy. Charlie May comes back after a tough route at Lexington could only get him the fourth check.

3yo filly trot / elim 2 R10
Otherwise known as “Beating Bella Bellini,” this mile features the guts of the Wrenns who dropped into the box with their steaming hot Shirley Goodness and cannot be counted out. This is the kind of filly that could step into a fray against the division’s best and be comfortable to perform as if the class is where she belongs. We like her finishing to make the final and to win at a terrific price.

Filly & Mare pace / elim R11
All hail Lyons Sentinel to end the season with two wins, this and the final. Actually, we will pass this elim and most likely the final.

Open pace / elim / R12
Four Ron Burke entries drive the 10-horse field, which is anyone’s guess. Look at Dorsoduro Hanover. Yikes, where has he been? Nicholas Beach could very well turn out to be the master of this class but you must judge the value of his odds. We like only the upset possibility of Captain Barbossa, who is rested and fresh in a race with a battle-weary bunch. Don’t let anyone tell you this one is easy to handicap.

Open trot / no elim; 11 go straight to final

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 ). 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 fail to win. An “ae” signals also-eligible. Types of wagers to make are based on your judgment.

H2W LIST

Batavia
10/22/21, JV Alert R1; Noble Legend R6

Freehold
1022/21, Mr D Duff R8

Dayton
10/23/21, Indiana Cam R6

Monticello
10/21/21, +Run Around John R1; Just Say Joe R3

Meadows
10/21/21, Sparklinlikeitis R4; Sweet Young Thing R6
10/22/21, +Carolina Beach R1

Northfield
10/23/21, +Won For Gigi R8
10/24/21, +Star Of The West R1

Northville
10/22/21, +Big Daddy Blitz R1; +Lautner Seelster R3
10/23/21, Vow To Wow R1; West Coast Dragon R2; How Tweet It Is R12

Oak Grove
10/21/24, Livin For A Dream R1; Edgemoor Muscle R7

Plainridge
10/21/21, Benny Is A Jet R6

Pocono
10/23/21, Artists Ruffles R3; +Pembroke Joey R5; Regal Son R7; So So De Vie R9

Vernon
10/22/21, +Narina Hanover R4; Some Royalty R5; +Catello Too R9
10/23/21, Nesh Cruiser R2

Yonkers
10/22/21, +Pantheon Hanover R1; +Bank Sea R3; +Gothic Rock R6