Harness Weekly Update: Double-digit winners, big place and show plays

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, April 28

This week’s Mohawk Miles delivered two strong place/show prices. Control The Thong ($25.30, $10.90) was beaten by a 46-1 shot. Moonlit Affair ($5.40, $3.90) paired with the favorite for a $17.50 exacta.

The featured soph-stakes began at Plainridge where the public’s second choice beat our 6-1 shot, Pickup Man Hanover, who raced poorly to finish seventh.

Then, at Miami, another second choice beat Springbridge Dragn (41-1), who finished seventh and Dirge (8-1) who took fifth.

Friday, April 29

Hoosier presented a features win with Crusher Q ($6.40, $4.00, $2.60) with Surreal Art ($6.40, $4.00) second for a $41.00 exacta. We missed the tri when Voracity (3-1) came in fourth.

Saturday, April 30

Pocono Downs’ selected feature was won by the public’s second choice and our two contenders were thoroughly unsupported and finished as such odds predicted. Letmecallyouback (33-1) finished on the superfecta grid but Keystonefightnight (101-1) was lucky to get eighth.

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 49 H2W horses (a 14-percent win-hit rate and a 31-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Sidechicknamednick, $25.60, $14.60, $6.80, Northfield
Bang Bang Boinga, $11.20, $6.40, $4.00, Philly
Party Boy Hill, $10.20, $4.80, $3.20, Miami
Tidal Shark, $8.40, $4.60, $2.80, Monticello
Sweetlies N Alibis, $6.00, $3.00, $2.60, Plainridge
Bigly, $5.40, $3.40, $2.20, Meadows
Hallanet, $2.80, $2.20, $2.10, Freehold

Seconds

Lady Newton, $3.00, $2.40, Meadows
Tarkio, $2.60, $2.10, Philly
Dancin Lanco, $2.40, $2.10 (Exacta $3.20), Cal Expo
Wily Wally, $2.20, $2.10, Plainridge

Thirds

Circle Of Life AS, $4.10, Yonkers
Capitol Hill, $3.60, Cal Expo
Skrill, $3.40, Philly
Don’t Mach Mia, $3.00, Northfield

NEWS & NOTES

May 1 was closing night of the Cal Expo meet. Harness racing is scheduled to return on Nov. 18 with an increased stakes schedule and a raise in purses which has already been approved. Many horsemen from the Sacramento community will head east to compete in Minnesota for the long harness meet Running Aces.

Veteran horsemen of the fragile West Coast harness meet have gone elsewhere over the past few years. Jacob Cutting took a big plunge and has been active—and already successful—with his own stock at Rosecroft and Freehold. Tim Maier has taken up tack in Ohio, racing at Miami Valley recently. James Lackey showed up now and again during the Hawthorne meet.

The Red Mile has announced date changes for Grand Circuit stakes in 2022. The Lexington oval is set to race Sept. 29, 30, and Oct. 1). Bluegrass stakes for frosh trot colts and pace fillies go on Thursday; Bluegrass divisions for frosh pace colts and trot fillies on Friday; and Bluegrass stakes for all sophs on Saturday. The Oct. 9 card features the Kentucky Futurity.

The Ohio harness racing circuit shifts locations, though most of the stock and horsemen community from Miami Valley continue to provide their services for the programs. The 90-day racing season begins May 12 and continues through Sept. 17. Racing days have a 3:15 p.m. (ET) first post.

Extraordinary Extras

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