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 following week’s Update.

Thursday, Nov. 10

This week’s expanded Mohawk Miles offered four races. There was one winner—Barrett Hanover ($3.10, $2.30,. $2.40 ok). There was one show finisher, Commemorative ($2.50). Second-favorite Clover (9-5) finished fifth and One Last Bet scratched.

The sophomore Matrons at Dover offered no payouts for our contenders. King Of The North was beaten but not by Fast As The Wind (12-1) who finished fourth. In the other three fields, heavy favorite Joviality S finished off the board, beaten fair and square. Always Gonna B You (53-1) and Pleaseletmeknow (32-1) finished fifth and eighth, respectively, to crowd favorites.

Friday, Nov. 10

The Meadows Pick-5 payout was kind to the masses, paying a mere $29.00. We suggested 11 horses spread through the quintet and four won. See the H2W for the winners and the others appear on next week’s H2W list as second-time entries.

In the Meadows Hi-5 payout we scored with only two on the ticket, the winner and the fifth-place finisher. See the H2W for the winner; the others appear on next week’s H2W list as second-time entries.

Horses to Watch 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 33 H2W horses (a 30-percent win-hit rate and a 67-percent ATB [across-the-board] rate).

Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Harness Winners

Shakespeare, $16.20, $8.60, $4.40, Dover Downs
Knockout Gal, $11.40, $5.00, $3.80, The Meadows
The Boss Man, $11.20, $4.30, $3.40, Yonkers
Liberty N Freedom, $9.20, $5.20, $3.60, The Meadows
Whimzical Chapter, $6.50, $4.30, $3.10, Saratoga
Imarealrockinlady, $5.00, $4.60, $3.00, The Meadows
Machtu N, $4.60, $2.30, $2.10, Monticello
Sandbetweenmytoes, $3.20, $2.60, $2.10, The Meadows
Best Shadow, $2.80, $2.10, $2.10, The Meadows
Fond Memories A, $2.70, $2.10, $2.10, Saratoga

Seconds

Libby's Idea, $6.00, $3.40 (Exacta $29.00), Northville Downs
Always At My Place, $4.80, $4.40, Dayton
Major Battle, $4.00, $3.00, Pocono
Bluffinner, $3.80, $3.20 (Exacta $10.80), Plainridge Park
American Vision, $3.30, $2.80, Monticello
*Statement, $2.30, $2.10, (Exacta $8.00), Monticello

Thirds

Swan Leader, $6.20, Northville Downs
American JJ, $4.50, Vernon Downs
Rusty Rambo, $3.60, Rosecroft
Swan By Land, $3.50, Mohawk Park
Windsong Leo, $2.60, The Meadows
Skateboard Chic, $2.10, Vernon Downs

Harness Racing NEWS & NOTES

North America Cup- and Breeders Crown-champion Pebble Beach retires to stand stud in Kentucky in 2023. As of this writing he boasts a career summary of 15-8-3 from 26 starts with more than $1.86 million earned. At two he won the Kentucky Sire Stakes final and a Breeders Crown elim. This season he took a mark of 1:48.1 following early season scores in the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes, the “Cup” and the Tattersalls Pace.

Rosecroft’s $125,000 Potomac Pace resulted in a stellar win for Allywag Hanover. The five-year-old gelded son of Captaintreacherous murdered the mile event. “Allywag” performed a 1:46.4 victory—the fastest mile on a five-eighths-mile track in harness racing history. Trainer Brett Pelling responded, “You know, he’s a pretty honest dude.”

Speaking of the Potomac Pace, Bulldog Hanover was expected to be in the field but checked out. Why? According to trainer and co-owner Jack Darling, there was no way to secure the preferred transportation plan to get “Bulldog” to Rosecroft. “We're dealing with syndication now and with shipping ... I just didn't want to take the chance on [Bulldog] getting hurt." No doubt some bettors wondered why the fastest mile-race winner in the history of the sport didn’t simply jog there.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our columns, Alternative Actions at Harness Racing Update