Harness Racing: New York, Mohawk plays in the spotlight

The Grand Circuit in Canada peaks with super stakes action. Mohawk features are covered below. The main feature, the C$1 million North America Cup, will have a special article on the Edge site. Yonkers hosts the New York Sires Stakes finals for eight divisions.

More contenders throughout the sport can be found in the never-ending TwinSpires H2W (horses-to-watch list). This ceaseless arrogance results in some pricey horses for win, place and show, which enhance your exotic combinations as well.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES

Friday, Sept. 10
Yonkers

The best of New York-sired (NYSS) trotters and pacers share the spotlight at Yonkers in division finals, each with $200k purses, battling for the top spot of their ilk. In order of their appearance on the program, here is a rundown of our decisions on plays.

2yo filly trot

Julie Miller’s Gertrude leaves from the Y-spot (Yonkers rail) and it could give the gal the few steps she needs to beat Joviality S, the top winner and earner who has to go a few extra feet leaving from post 8.

2yo colt trot

Jim Campbell’s Cool Papa Bell has only raced four times but won three. His main foe, unbeaten three-time-winning Justice, could also be compromised by Molotov Cocktail.

2yo colt pace

Huntsville has been a powerful sire so far, and he is represented by three colts in this final. However, we like Forrest Blu (Roll With Joe) in a field of top-notch frosh pacers.

2yo filly pace

Huntsville filly Just Devine can make this mile her season’s best race. She’s fast and most likely will find a good spot behind Gotthegreenlight and tip out to snub her at the wire.

3yo filly trot

Iteration has more than one big move and will prove it here against a field that has not seen the likes of her competition on the national scene. 

3yo filly pace

Stop the presses. Test Of Faith need be tested no longer. What might she do to lose this? We imagine the only answer is: she stops racing.

3yo colt trot

Here is a race where Ambassador Hanover can show his national class, being from the key race of the season, having battled the best of the division and made major bucks and still having something more to prove to Ake Svanstedt.

3yo colt pace

Town Gossip will take a lot of money but Ray Schnittker’s Stop Staring gets the Y-spot and has enough speed to beat all comers. He is a So Surreal colt that has great footing for this track and should be a decent price for the win, too.

MOHAWK MAGNIFIQUE

Saturday, Sept. 11
Mohawk

Four top stakes during Mohawk’s September Splurge co-star to the top attraction of the program—the North America Cup (see focused feature on TwinSpires Edge).

William Wellwood Memorial $640k

Ray Schnittker’s King Of The North may have experienced defeat after a winning skein but the two-year-old colt trotter has hardly forgotten how to leave foes behind. He meets his conqueror Periculum again after losing an elim to him and may still be shocked the Marcus Melander youngster beat him. At 6-1, Periculum’s mile was a stunning success, featuring an outland journey to the half and a lot of breath left to take down the “King.” On that mile alone he wins, but not at 6-1.

Those two should not be expected to cancel one another out, but the tactics of Duly Resolved (a strong elim winner) may overwhelm them, and at a price. The trips of the trio shall decide their finishing positions, but do not be surprised if they dominate the mile.

Peaceful Way $392k

Submitting to our bias for Kadabra-sired fillies, we back Dabra Day for a frosh-filly-trot upset. The widely-sire-represented field is impressive, but Kadabra fillies tend to be set aside by the public in the wake of femmes by Hambo champs and promising new blood. Plus, from post 9, Dabra Day—who was best of the rest in Venerable’s elim win—will offer a wham-bam (sic) price.

Goodtimes $240k

Here is a chance to beat the “now horse,” Fashion Frenzie, who defeated favorite Dancininthedark M in an elim. Hopefully, their pari-mutuels status will be reversed here, and the Canadian public will create a favorites’ frenzy backing “Frenzie,” Richard Moreau’s addition to the glamour-boy trotter’s division. This would make Dancinginthedark M a scrumptious second favorite. “Dancing” has beaten himself silly going off stride this season, galloping out of the history books while still looking for his own good times, so to speak. In his elim he was not pushed at the point of no return to beat Frenzie, and once again it will be the true gift of his gams to stay astride trotting, no less reach his best speed, which he has yet to display.

Fan Hanover $425k

If Hot Mess Hanover brings to the mile her best soph-filly pace speed, the race is for place. But no handicapper would dismiss reasonable chances to wager against her to win this lopsided event. Considering the massive mound of money “Mess” is bound to attract, we’ll bet on a specific scenario where there are enough challengers to duel and shuffle Mess to defeat and leave a portal in the stretch for a ground-saving Game Of Shadows to use as a winning tool. Moreau’s filly raced a flashy three-quarters in the Mess-won elim at 69-1. With the engaging trip scenario we support, it being no stranger in the history of our sport, Moreau’s creature could expel countless exotic tickets with a coup-cashing win price.

Horses to Watch (H2W) LIST

Batavia
9/10/21, Keystone Apache R2; Party Boy Hanover R7

Freehold
9/10/21, Latoka R9

Hawthorne
9/11/21, Dirtylittlelies R9; Vel Donna R10

Hoosier
9/9/21, +Shenanigans Twain R14

Monticello
9/9/21, KJ Chico R4; Brimfeld R5

Meadowlands
9/11/21, Nimah Franco N R3; DA Delightful R12; Seeuinnashville A R13

Northfield
9/10/21, Arroyas Dance R10
9/11/21, KJs Foxy Lady R10; Foolish Terror R14; Campus Queen R14

Plainridge
9/9/21, Waves R4; Mach It Up R5

Running Aces
9/9/21, Acefortyfourladydi R9

Saratoga
9/9/21, Make a Statement A R4

Scioto
9/10/21, DGs Elsa R2; Vanquer RP NO R5

Vernon
9/10/21, Rollwithessica R3; Bet Big On Blue R3
9/11/21, Air Guitar R11