Harness Racing: Picks & Horses to Watch for Feb. 3 to Feb. 5

It’s a volatile season and ironic since standardbreds love the cold but are scratched when the cold brings elements that attack the surface they race upon. Forecasts for more racing this week than last week during a major storm are hopeful and we return with our suggested contenders for selected features and our never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch list (H2W) for wins, places and show and exotics.

MOHAWK MILES

Each week we highlight some probable long shots from Mohawk Park in this features 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. More on Mohawk in the H2W below.

Thursday, Feb. 3

Race 3 – Magics Wizard: Fourth to a winner by 11 lengths, draws the rail.
Race 5 – Mayhem Like Me: Made up a lot of ground after poor start.

POWER PLAYS

Thursday, Feb. 3

Yonkers - Races 2, 3, 4

A Pick-3 adventure ensues (check program to confirm) gathers a trio of races with the usual single-race wagering offers.

Race 2

A step up and a ship in are positives for Deborah Daguet’s Joe Exotic, coming to Yonkers for this conditioned trot. At the Meadolwands, “Exotic” raced super at 70-1, finishing second with a strong mid-mile move. Striking Genson was a disappointing favorite at Yonkers last week but did have a speck of trouble as an excuse.

Race 3

Juxta Cowgirl was beaten as a favorite (at the Meadowlands); she was spent rushing to the top early from the outside and it still took the field most of the mile to catch her. Velocity Mcsweets looks for two straight wins and may try the same drafting tactic used for win two.

Race 4

Anne Bonney N’s encouraging show finish at 43-1 at Yonkers, though a dead heat, gave trainer Paul Fusco the confidence to put her here where she drew well and will be a strong contender with a price. Malnificent comes off a smart-finish second at Yonkers at 7-1.

THE LAST BLIZZARD

Friday, Feb. 5

Mohawk - Race 5

The $37k final of the Blizzard Pacing Series for three- and four-year-old fillies and mares could be a romp for Intothemysticmoon. Her Jan. 20 performance was stunning, leaving from post 9 while 10 lengths behind and grinding the mile to soar in the stretch to win by 4 lengths. She was 5-1.
Flirting with a win in both legs, Belina may find live cover to challenge anyone eyeing the finish line in the stretch.

FEATURES

Saturday, Feb. 5

Meadowlands - Races 3, 7, 8

All of these horses were selected last week but they scratched when the track cancelled the evening program due to a winter storm. We endorse them again this week as they appear in different races (check your program for how you may fit them into single- and multi-race exotics.

Race 3

Hot trainer Edwin Quevedo’s oddly named Casino Bags Anso finds a good spot to make his recent pair of races look smooth enough to win here. Also spotted well in class is Thespywholovedme (trivia—the James Bond novel title is the only Bond book written as a narrative from a character).

Race 7

In this claiming handicap, Mindtrip is an also-eligible but should be treated as dangerous if he draws in.
The outside (post 10) Allgonowwhoa was claimed from the race before the storm scratch, where he roughed out a finish fifth after a fiery early duel.
Also dangerous is Cool Blues Man. Toss out his Freehold jog and value more what he did at the M-lands three back.

Race 8

A simple single will suffice for price and purpose. Dropping from a 95k tag to 75k, where he last won, Revolver N also resigns from three-straight 8-hole starts—but won the first of those in a 75k claimer, as is this race.

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
2/4/22, Keystone Charles R9

Dover
2/3/22, +Banderbear R4; Premier Rockstar R4

Freehold
2/4/22, +Three Rocks R1; +May I Cruise West R2; +Two Hip Dip R4; Rockinwiththebest R5; +Risky Buddy R8

Hawthorne
2/4/22, +Rollinwitdaponyzzz R4; +Ponda's Prospect R7

Meadowlands
2/4/22, Causway R7; +Lady Lou R9
2/5/22, +Wrappers Delight A R4; +Vettel N R10

Meadows
2/3/22, +Filly Speaks R7; +Beyond Belief R10
2/4/22, Idrinkbecauseofyou R6

Miami
2/3/22, +All About Lynx R5; Sectionlinetwister R5; +Chip It In R8

Mohawk
2/3/22, Sentbycaptnmorgan R7; Rhythm Seelster R9
2/4/22, So Much More R2; Tymal Chrome R4

Northfield
2/5/22, +Talkin Again R3; Rockinattheryman R5; +Chipper Daisy R6; Lovem And Liam R10

Yonkers
2/3/22, Ready Set Rock R10
2/4/22, Derecho R3; Our Max Phactor N R5; Champagne On Ice R6; Littlebitaswagger R11