Harness Weekly Update: 35% in the money

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

Thursday, July 7

This week’s Mohawk Miles selections featured one second with Twin B Showmance ($2.40, $2.50), who went off the favorite, and Lyons Somewhereboy (7-1) finishing fourth, losing to the public choice.

Friday, July 8

Sires stakes in Pennsylvania did not go as well as they did for us in New York. At the Meadows, we were seventh to two out of three with Alexa's Sunshine (41-1) and Summer Flame (42-1). The favorite in the other split left us fourth with Racin Hungry (6-1).

That night in New York in four sires stakes at Saratoga, we won with Met Your Request ($9.20, $5.60, $2.70); finished second with Barney Goldstein ($6.50, $3.20, Exacta $10.60); third to the favorite with Chapercraz ($3.60); and seventh to a 16-1 shot with Daley Rep (51-1).

Saturday, July 9

The favorites won the Zweig finals at Vernon, not making the Hambo or Oaks much clearer. We looked for outsiders but had no chance with the colts when Cool Papa Bell (34-1) broke into a gallop off the gate and never got into the mix from there. With the fillies, we managed fourth with 7-1 Yanaba.

The Meadowlands Pace elims opened with a win from huge favorite Beach Glass, while we checked in fifth with Mad Max Hanover (12-1). The second elim went to an 11-1 shot while we were second with Night Hawk ($2.20, $2.10).

H2W list results

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Exactas listed include a H2W horse finishing second to a race-favorite or if the first two finishers are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses form a cold exotic combo, most base prices are $2). The note “ok” determines that prices are correct (even when a show price exceeds a place price or all prices are the same).

Please note that some results reflect horses racing after the blog posts (they appear the following week).

This week, there were 49 H2W horses (14% win-hit rate and a 35% ATB [across-the-board] hit. Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Brush N Crush, $6.80, $3.00, $2.60, Meadowlands
Primo Giovanni, $6.80, $3.20, $2.40, Hawthorne
Ubanji, $4.20, $3.20, $2.40, Plainridge
Astor, $3.00, $2.40, $2.10, Monticello
Franks Watching, $2.40, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Buffalo

Seconds

Take All Comers, $8.00, $4.60 (Exacta $35.60), Meadowlands
T Barrr, $5.40, $4.00 (Exacta $11.80), Scioto
Fancy Knows, $5.30, $2.30, Vernon
Keystone Stevie, $4.60, $3.80, Meadows
All Heart I Am, $3.10, $3.10 (Exacta $43.60), Vernon

Thirds

Fox Valley Sampson, $10.80, Hoosier
Street Gossip, $4.70, Yonkers
Captain Velocity, $2.60, Hawthorne
Always B A Star, $2.40, Meadows
Drama Act, $2.10, Yonkers

News & Notes

Joviality S is the talk of the Hambletonian Trail. Unlike Ramona Hill, the most recent filly to win the classic, Joviality S is already the Hambo favorite. TwinSpires harness players followed Ramona Hill that season and collected double-digit win tickets twice before the main event. Don’t expect Joviality S to be dismissed for a moment, no less in two Hambo preps. Watch for the TwinSpires updates on the Hambo as we study the colts that can beat her at a price, assuming by the time of the race she has not decided on being in the “Oaks.”

It’s time for us to continue our ranking for the 2022 Hambletonian winner. The following top 10 list will be updated in each of our Update editions until we cover the August classic.

1.         Joviality S
2.         Fast As The Wind
3.         Branded By Lindy
4.         King Of The North
5.         Justice
6.         Pretender
7.         Temporal Hanover
8.         Raised By Lindy
9.         Periculum
10        Rebuff

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our columns, Alternative Actions at Harness Racing Update.