Harness Weekly Update: 27% winners, 51% across-the-board hits

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, Aug. 10

Our trio of Mohawk Miles contenders did not perform to expectations. Blue Katana (75-1) raced better than the odds, finishing fifth. Dock Of The Bay (4-1) raced a miserable mile at those odds, finishing 10th. Royal Beluga (5-1) broke stride and finished distanced.

Yonkers New York Sires Stakes for soph-colt trotters presented two competitive glamour boys hitting the board. Kierkegaard K ($8.00, $7.00, $2.10) was a massive overlay across the board (see News & Notes for automatic-play season). Onion Gum ($2.80, n/s) finished second in a $6.30 exacta.

Friday, Aug. 11

The Dan Patch at Hoosier got us two of three who sizzled to three-quarters, giving a 17-1 shot a free midstretch path to win. We were second with Charlie May ($5.60, $4.20) and third with Abuckabett Hanover ($3.80).

H2W RESULTS

This week, there were 49 active H2W horses (a 27% win hit rate and a 51% 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

In Thought, $21.20, $7.40, $5.00, Ocean
Adashious Hanover, $13.20, $5.80, $4.00, Northfield
No Better Joy, $12.40, $7.00, $3.40, Ocean
Trick Of The Light, $7.80, $4.40, $2.80, Scioto
Hoodie N Hector, $6.10, $3.10, $2.40, Yonkers
Splatterdash, $4.60, $2.80, $2.10, Plainridge
Ferretti, $4.20, $2.80, $2.40, Scioto
Hungry Man, $4.20, $2.20, $2.10, Philly
Workinitonbroadway, $4.10, $2.80, $2.20, Hiawatha
*Give Me This Dance, $3.80, $2.40, $2.20, Running Aces
Scorecard Dandy, $3.40, $3.20, $3.00, Running Aces
Stonebridge Rocks, $3.30, $2.80, $2.20, Monticello
Justice, $2.40, $2.10, $2.10 OK, Pocono

Seconds

Tempville, $22.00, $74.00 OK, Vernon
Smokin Molly, $4.60, $3.40, Plainridge
A List Girl, $3.20, $3.20 OK (Exacta $8.20), Plainridge
*Anna B, $3.00, $2.40 (Exacta $11.00), Running Aces
Hillary Barry N, $3.00, $2.10, Hoosier

Thirds

Kount Blaster, $5.40, Meadows
Two Friskie To Pet, $5.00, Meadows
Indianas Quest GB, $4.90, Yonkers
Bargain Shopper, $3.40, Philly
Beguin Dugotier F, $2.80, Tioga
Givenupdreaming, $2.10, Plainridge
Racine Bell, $2.10, Saratoga

NEWS & NOTES

Our post-Hambletonian automatic-play action is already in motion. Rehash: Win bets are sans handicapping for any of the losing horses in either Hambletonian elims or finals. Winners racing again off of the highest class of stakes yet this season need betting attention across the board and in exotics. You may consider taking the process further, considering many in the pacing stakes. Any win price is considered value under these exclusive terms.

The 2023 season introduces the next “Top 10” lists coming from public handicappers and racetrack PR people. This is for The Little Brown Jug in September. Here is our first group. Note that some soph-colt pacers on our list have not confirmed inclusion but may be considering entering.

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

Extraordinary extras

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