Harness Weekly Update: Breeders Crown Crowd Shares Glory

The TwinSpires Harness Blog Weekly Update covers our successes and failures from selected features and the H2W (horses-to-watch list, now including Hoosier spin-offs).

Thursday, Oct. 28

Thursday’s Mohawk Miles outside contenders were Real Wicked ($8.00) finishing third and Rose Run Why Not (9-1) crossing the wire fifth.

Friday, Oct. 29

Here’s how our decisions measured with the results of the two-year-old Breeders Crown divisions, the first night of the 2021 Breeders Crown finals.

The favorite won the colt pace while we finished fourth with Hammering Hank (3-1) and our exotic partner, Did It My Way (40-1), got ninth.

The favorite was best again in the filly pace while we took the show spot with Treacherous Dragon ($3.20).

An 8-1 shot upset the favorite in the filly trot while we took the show with Jiggy Jog S ($4.60) and had both of our exotic possibilities eliminated from breaking stride – Selfie Queen (9-1) and Ebbies Lady (73-1).

The public’s second choice won the colt trot while our nag, Cool Papa Bell (35-1), never took a step in the right direction.

Saturday, Oct. 30

Here’s how our decisions measured with the results of the remaining Breeders Crown divisions, the second program of the 2021 Breeders Crown finals in order of successes.

3yo filly trot – Bella Bellini ($5.20, $3.00, $2.40); Shirley Goodness (35-1), fifth; Altar (3-2) broke, ninth; Iteration (71-1), broke, 10th.

Open trot – Ecurie D DK ($3.00, $2.40, $2.10).

3yo colt trot – Fly Light ($17.00, $5.40), Exacta $49.20; Delayed Hanover (14-1), fifth.

Open pace – Allywag Hanover ($2.20).

3yo colt pace – Rockyroad Hanover (10-1), fourth.

Mare trot – Ramona Hill (7-1), fourth; Refined (14-1), broke, ninth.

Mare pace – JKs First Lady (17-1), fifth.

3yo filly pace – Blue Diamond Eyes (6-1), fourth; Think Of Galaxies (186-1), seventh.

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 are listed—a cold exacta). 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 53 active horses (an 8% win hit rate and a 34% ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Wink And Nod, $24.80, $11.80, $6.20, Monticello
Mystical Image, $11.00, $4.80, $3.20, Hoosier
Fox Valley Britzka, $7.60, $3.60, $3.20, Hoosier
Rangers Sureshot, $5.00, $3.40, $2.80, Meadows

Seconds

Electric Chapel N, $6.50, $4.40, Batavia
Kobra Kai, $5.90, $7.10 OK (Exacta $33.30), Mohawk
Top Flight Angel, $5.20, $5.00, Meadowlands
Nesh Cruiser, $3.00, $2,80, Vernon
Armagedon Seelster, $2.80, $2.40 (Exacta $19.00), Philly

Thirds

King Of Heroes N, $8.40, Meadowlands
Some Royalty, $7.40, Vernon
Danny Dancer, $6.40, Hoosier
Vel Larry, $4.00, Hoosier
Whitemountain Nemo, $3.90, Monticello
Uptown Callie, $2.80, Northfield
Locatelli, $2.60, Meadowlands
With Wings, $2.40, Northfield
Big Daddy Blitz, $2.10, Northville
Captain Barbossa, $2.10, Meadowlands
Livin For A Dream, n/s

NEWS & NOTES

Ake Svanstedt broke through with the first two Crown victories of his career and was the only trainer to cop two Crowns during the weekend. Drivers recording Crown doubles over the weekend were Svanstedt, Dexter Dunn, Dave Miller and Scott Zeron.

The Meadows forced the payoff of a $61k carryover on Oct. 29 in the 11th race of the Pentafecta (Hi-5). The race favorite won at 3-2, followed by a 7-1, 6-1, 5-1 and 6-1. We offered five horses to include for players building a ticket. Three of our five choices were included in the $788.76 non-jackpot winning ticket—the winner and the fourth and fifth finishers.

According to a we-published story, the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority has approved a $16.9 million plan to send the tractors through The Meadowlands’ long-abandoned original grandstand. Across from the property housing The New Meadowlands, the retro-style racetrack structure was home of one-mile harness and Thoroughbred racing from 1976 to 2013, with 42,133 spectators at its opener. We were not there on opening night; we were there for the rest of the week’s night racing.

Extraordinary Extras

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