Harness Weekly Update: 144-1 shot furnishes $37.40 show payout

The TwinSpires Harness Blog Weekly Update covers our successes and failures from selected features and the H2W (horses-to-watch list). H2W horses through the following Monday appear in the next Update’s results. 

Thursday, Sept. 14

Our Mohawk Miles duo released one of two hitting the board. Fortress Louisberg ($3.00, $3.00 OK) finished second, and Mass Money (25-1) got up for fourth.

Elsewhere at Mohawk, we scored with some Grand Circuit winners. Best of the three was Emoji Hanover ($16.50, $9.30, $3.30). Also winning was Willowtime ($3.60, $2.40, $2.40 OK). Second was Cool Ma Belle ($3.40, $3.00).

Friday, Sept. 15

At Hoosier we nailed The Hoosier Cup with Why Not Now ($8.00, $3.20, $2.40).
We were foiled by a lack of luck in the Peter Haughton Memorial when Mars Hill (7-1) broke badly and finished a distant 10th and could not challenge the winner, the obvious favorite. Another favorite won the Jim Doherty while we finished seventh with Santa Croce (46-1). 

Saturday, Sept. 16

It snowed chalk at Mohawk for the stakes program. We presented only one winner, Clever Cody ($6.00, $3.00, $2.70) while the rest of our contenders played no little to no roles in the eliminations. Huntingforchrome (10-1) was sixth; Rocket Deo (7-1), fifth; Bronx Barista (32-1), sixth; Blonde Bombshell (7-2), sixth; and Call Me Goo (n/s), third. 

H2W LIST RESULTS

This week, there were 53 active H2W horses (an 11% win hit rate and a 36% across-the-board hit rate).

Exactas listed in H2W results reflect an H2W horse finishing second to a race favorite, or if the first two finishers were on the list, when an asterisk appears for cold exactas. The note “OK” determines prices are correct when a show price exceeds the place price or all three prices are identical.  

Winners 

P L Pork Chop, $8.50, $5.10, $3.50, Tioga
Scylly Rock, $5.80, $3.00, $2.20, Scioto
Noted A, $4.00, $2.70, $3.20, Tioga
Shirley Skip Shady, $4.00, $2.80, $2.80 OK, Running Aces
Alittlesidehustl, $3.90, $3.40, $2.20, Saratoga
Drinksinthesand, $2.80, $2.10, $2.10, Flamboro 

Seconds

Almost Karen, $7.80, $3.80, Freehold
Sharp Looker, $7.20, $8.20 OK (Exacta $52.80), Scioto
The Charging Moa N, $6.80, $3.60, Plainridge
Back To Hicksville, $4.60, $3.40, Freehold
A Good Chardonnay, $4.40, $4.20, Freehold
Admit, $4.20, $3.00, Hawthorne
Poisonpoke, $3.20, $3.00 (Exacta $13.80), Pocono
Seafood Togo, $2.80, $2.10, Plainridge
Warrawee Whisper, $2.80, $2.20, Meadows
Dunes Beach, $2.20, $2.10 (Exacta $5.50), Monticello
Trick Of The Light, n/r, Northfield

Thirds

Your Fancy Man, $37.40, Meadows
Pat’s Way, $2.10, Saratoga

NEWS & NOTES 

This past week on the H2W marked another good reason why we calculate all contender successes by across-the-board appearances. At the Meadows (see H2W list above) one of our contenders, Your Fancy Man, finished third and paid $37.40 (having gone off at 144-1). The value of the place-and-show pools should never be overlooked when we present a contender. The second and third finishers in any race not only contribute to exotic wagers; they may present profits in many ways.

Northville Downs, in conjunction with the Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association and the Michigan Gaming Control Board, is happy to report that the current harness racing meet is extended through Nov. 25.

Here is this week’s lineup of our 2023 Top 10 contenders for The Little Brown Jug (note that some soph-colt pacers on our list have not confirmed inclusion but may be considering entering). 

1. Confederate 
2. Seven Colors 
3. Stockade Seelster 
4. It’s My Show 
5. Cannibal
6. Christchurch 
7. El Rey
8. Voukefalas 
9. Hurrikane Hunter 
10. Fulton  

Indulge in our new monthly column, Among Ourselves, at Harness Racing Update.