Harness Weekly Update: $79 winner, H2W hits 50% 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 following week’s Update.

Thursday, Sept.1

This week’s Mohawk Miles selections were unengaged - Better Sing It (9-1) finished seventh, beaten by a favorite, and Night Shadow (10-1) lost to a 7-1 shot.

At Hoosier, state-bred Rollin Rosie ($3.20, $2.40, $2.40 OK) won for us in the first division, but Miss Cadet (12-1) gave way to a 9-1 surprise.

Saturday, Sept. 3

At Mohawk, our Simcoe colt trot contender, Safe Conduct (n/s) finished third. In the two Simcoes for filly trotters, we won with Monkey Queen ($3.70, $3.00, $2.10) and were disappointed with Pencils Down (61-1) finishing fifth.

In the Canadian Pacing Derby, Bulldog Hanover was much the best, and our attempt to beat him this time with Desperate Man (15-1) failed with that one finishing fifth.

We passed the Maple Leaf Trot when it was announced that Alrajah One It scratched.

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 38 H2W horses (18-percent win-hit rate and a 50-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Imsporty, $79.50, $12,80, $6.30, Saratoga
Create, $31.60, $13.00, $7.80, Saratoga
AB Collins, $16.00, $4.70, $4.90 OK, Monticello
Ants Marching, $15.00, $6.60, $4.60, Meadowlands
Charleston, $6.60, $4.00, $2.10, Meadowlands
Wisk Key, $4.20, $2.90, $2.80, Leamington
Rebuff, $3.50, $3.00, $2.70, Red Mile

Seconds

Keg Stand, $16.40, $6.10 (Exacta $44.20), Red Mile
Monty Mono, $6.20, $2.90, Yonkers
Odds On Capitalism, $5.00, $3.60 (Exacta $10.40), Scioto
Emmajean Jellybean, $4.20, $5.40 OK, Plainridge
Lawless Shadow, $3.10, $2.70, Mohawk

Thirds

Pay Later, $6.80, Monticello
Allindotime, $4.00, Freehold
Seein Red, $4.00, Meadows
Lash High, $3.00, Scioto
In Love Again, $2.10, Northfield
Priceless Shadow, $2.10, Phlly
Fox Valley Ozzy, $2.10, $2.10, Hawthorne

NEWS & NOTES

At the season’s halfway point, the contest for TwinSpires Players’ Horse of 2022 need only three months to be challenged. Still in front as the highest-paying winner we released, Yes Double Down produced a win payoff of $110 in May for trainer Robert Krenitsky at Pocono Downs. Stay tuned; there are plenty of feature races and H2W lists left before 2022 brings down the curtain.

Also, we remain accountable for all of our published contenders, so here is statistic for the weekly pair of Mohawk Miles (MM) contenders in each Preview edition. As of this Update report, we have released 66 horses. So far the MM produced 24 finishers hitting the board which totals 36 percent.

About his 13,000th winning drive, Tim Tetrick told The Meadowlands’ Jessica Otten: “It’s special for a kid who thought he’d be a groom.” Tetrick was inducted into the Hall of Fame two years ago. He won his first race for a $1,168 purse. Since then, he won five Meadowlands Paces, four Driver of the Year Awards and amassed lifetime earnings of almost $250 million.

Yonkers’ 2022 Yonkers International Trot, a $1 million invitation-only event, is taking shape. At least two horses – Ecurie D Dk and Etonnant – have officially accepted invitations. The race is scheduled for an afternoon card on Oct. 15. A number of potential starters from around the world expressed interest. The 1 1/4-mile race returns from a two-year COVID-related hiatus.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our column Alternative Actions at Harness Racing Update.