Harness Weekly Update: Double-digit scores heat up profits

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

Thursday, July 20

Our trio of Mohawk Miles contenders hit the board. Finishing second were Punch The Clock ($5.40, $2.90; Exacta $19.00) and Moonstruck ($5.80, $3.60). Go Have Fun ($2.60) was third.

Friday, July 21

The best win for two-year-old New Jersey-breds was our top pick. Mars Hill ($17.00, $7.20, $4.20) won. Mr Grant (13-1) did not help any exotics, finishing sixth.

Saturday, July 22

At Saratoga, we nailed both frosh state-bred stakes, first with Huntingforchrome ($5.50, $2.50, $2.10) and then with a price play, Darius ($15.80, $3.30, $2.20).

A 27-1 shot got us by a neck in the Gerrity Memorial, leaving us second with Tattoo Artist ($2.50, $2.10) and disappointed with Covered Bridge (3-1) finishing fifth.

H2W RESULTS

This week, there were 45 active H2W horses (a 13% win hit rate and a 42% across-the-board hit rate).

Exactas listed in H2W results reflect an H2W horse finishing second to a race favorite, or if the first two finishers were on the list, when an asterisk appears for cold exactas. The note “OK” determines prices are correct when a show price exceeds the place price, or all three prices are identical.

Winners

On The Take, $28.40, $5.80, $2.90, Monticello
Spectacular Plus, $26.20, $6.60, $3.20, Saratoga
Rocks Stormyd, $18.80, $5.60, $4.80, Northville
Mastery, $9.80, $4.40, $2.60, Vernon
Navagio N, $3.00, $2.40, $2.60 OK, Northfield
Party Cruiser, $2.80, $2.20, $2.10, Northfield

Seconds

What A Dandy, $25.80, $9.60, Scioto
Foreign Moni, $21.00, $8.90, Vernon
Pine Master, $7.00, $5.00, Scioto
Pats Way, $5.90, $3.30 (Exacta $23.60), Saratoga
Caviar’s Yankee, $4.90, $2.70 (Exacta $6.40), Tioga
Beyond The Moon, $4.20, $3.00, Ocean
Aunt Rita, $3.40, $2.60, Meadows

Thirds

Some Attitude, $6.40, Plainridge
Das Deo, $4.20, Ocean
Vali Hanover, $3.60, Yonkers
Brooklyn Moonshine, $3.00, Running Aces
Swanky Hanover, $2.40, Philly
Racine Bell, $2.10, Saratoga

NEWS & NOTES

The Little Brown Jug officials announced an “expected purse” of $1 million for the 2023 event on Thursday, Sept. 21. It’s a surprise to any bettor following the “Great American Pace,” as it has declined over the past decade. It is said the new support sources are the State of Ohio, the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, and the state legislature. Eliminations go for $50k each; the balance goes into the second heat. The previous record Jug purse was $677k in 2015.

The 2023 harness season at Oak Grove Racing saw increases in wagering handle, sparking optimism among players and participants alike for the future of the sport in Kentucky. The 30-day season overall presented a 103% increase. The average daily handle was $233k, up 82 percent, and exceeding 2022’s highest single-day handle of $229k. Over $6.3 million in purses were disbursed through the meet.

Our Top 10 Hambletonian Trail contenders follow (final odds will define our win wager):

1. Bond
2. Oh Well
3. Air Power
4. Winner’s Bet
5. Kierkegaard K
6. Up Your Deo
7. Ari Ferrari J
8. Kilmister
9. Celebrity Bambino
10. French Wine

Extraordinary extras

Indulge in our new monthly column, Among Ourselves, at Harness Racing Update.