Harness Weekly Update: $30 winner among 60% to hit the board

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, Sept. 29

This week’s pair of Mohawk Miles delivered one winner, Ciel Bleu ($5.40, $3.10, $2.40). Our other contender, Nothing Bettor, went off the favorite, finishing p7p10 after a break.

The Red Mile’s opening program was chalky. Four of the five features were won by favorites. We finished third twice with International Man ($3.70) and Light And Tight ($4.70). We were second to a 22-1 winner with Crown ($4.10, $3.30). Our losers included the breaking Onion Gum (11-1), finishing seventh, and Sweet Home (91-1).

Friday, Sept. 30

In the six stakes at The Red Mile, five were won by the public’s first or second choices; we settled for one place with Cannibal $3.40, $4.10). In order of their finishes, the others were fifth for Ammo (5-2), sixth for Command (10-1), seventh for Heart On Fire (5-2), ninth from a break for Quick Stop (30-1), and Grand Fashion scratched.

Saturday, Oct. 1

Day three of GC Red Mile action was our best. We had three winners, topped by All About The Hunt ($29.50, $12.60, $7.30), followed by Jiggy Jog S ($2.70, $2.20, $2.10) and Joviality S ($2.10, $2.10, $2.10 OK).

We also had three second-place finishers, topped by Mad Max Hanover ($5.50, $4.70) and followed by Golden Wall AS ($5.30, $2.10) and Temporal Hanover ($2.20, $2.10). Je Suis Si Belle (27-1) finished seventh and Sweet Rock Deo (25-1) finished ninth.

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 35 H2W horses (34% win-hit rate and a 60% ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Sayonara Royalty, $30.30, $8.70, $3.20, Mohawk
Ideal Wheel, $20.40, $6.80, $7.40 OK, Pocono
Play The Field, $13.00, $9.40, $3.20, Pocono
Fashion Princess, $11.80, $5.80, $3.70, Vernon
Grantor Hanover, $9.00, $3.30, $2.40, Monticello
Arts Beach, $7.80, $3.60, $2.10, Pocono
Sovereign, $6.60, $3.30, $3.00, Mohawk
Rocket Russell, $5.80, $3.80, $2.20, Dayton
Stonebridge Mach, $5.10, $3.00, $2.20, Saratoga
Dune With Class, $3.90, $2.90, $2.60, Red Mile
Squared Away, $3.00, $2.40, $2.40 OK, Philly
American Rebel, $2.20, $2.10, $2.10, Saratoga

Seconds

Gigfy, $10.40, $5.70, Saratoga
Hilarity Lou, $6.00, $2.80, (Exacta $12.20, Rosecroft
Wal Finest, $4.70, $2.90 (Exacta $30.80), Monticello
The Thunder Rolls, $4.00, $3.00 (Exacta $10.00), Hoosier
Ehrmantraut, $3.10, $2.40 (Exacta $7.30), Yonkers

Thirds

Dazzling Lindy, $13.00, Plainridge
Don’t Dew It, $5.80, Delaware, Ohio
Somelucksomerock, $3.80, Vernon
Ario Hanover, $2.10, Red Mile

NEWS & NOTES

It is the final racing season for champion trotter Atlanta, and one more attraction has been added for the three-time millionaire. Atlanta accepted an invitation to compete in the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot on Oct. 15. She earned $3.5 million-plus in her career of 36 wins and 19 seconds in 74 starts. Recently, she won the Miss Versatility Final at the “Jug” Fairgrounds and picked up her first win on a half-mile track.

At four, Bulldog Hanover won over a million dollars and recorded some of the fastest win times in the sport’s history. They include miles in 1:45.4—the all-time mark—as well as 1:46 twice, 1:46.1 and 1:46.4, the fastest win ever in Canada. Thirteen other horses have won a race with a time faster than 1:47, but none have repeated the feat. Still, put in context, Bulldog Hanover has a lot to accomplish on and off the track to reach the status of Artsplace.

The great pacer Artsplace returned at four instead of going to stud and had arguably the greatest season in harness racing history. He was undefeated at four in 16 starts. He won $932,325 that season, becoming 1992 Harness Horse of the Year. Success in his breeding career runs through the blood of many these days. Artsplace is the sire of $3-million-plus performers. And retired as the second-richest pacer of all time.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our column Alternative Actions at Harness Racing Update