Harness Weekly Update: Exacta, parlay scores make for lucrative weekend

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. Note—some East Coast tracks went dark due to extreme weather conditions.

Thursday, Feb. 17

This week’s Mohawk Miles contenders were scratched as part of a canceled program due to poor inclement weather and unsafe track conditions.

At Monticello our Daily Double failed, with Hard Workin Man ($2.50, n/s) second, and in the second leg Heavens Superstar (18-1) finished fifth. The race was won by the public’s 5-1 choice.

Friday, Feb. 18

Our feature at Hawthorne was won by the race favorite as we backed Street Boy (23-1) and Three Card (6-1), finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.

The evening program was not a failure, though, as a $30.00 winner came through on the H2W (see below).

Saturday, Feb. 19

Saratoga’s successive ninth and 10th races were not an official Daily Double. However, as a parlay, we took down a great payoff.

We won the first leg of our parlay with Isaac ($12.00, $6.20, $2.60), while Itsonlyrocknroll (4-1) finished fifth.

We won the second leg of the parlay with Skyway Victor ($8.10, $4.70, $2.50), while Simple Kinda Man (10-1) finished sixth.

The $2 parlay - $2 on Isaac to win and Isaac’s win price to win on Skyway Victor - paid $60.60.

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; most prices are for $2 exactas). 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 34 H2W horses (an 18% win-hit rate and a 39% ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Carlos Mittano, $30.00, $11.80, $5.40, Hawthorne
Derecho, $11.60, $3.40, $2.40, Pocono
Pondas Prospect, $8.00, $2.40, $2.20, Hawthorne
Constnflysideways A, $5.20, $2.60, $2.40, Freehold
Sicily, $4.00, $2.60, $2.40, Dover
Celebrated Mr K, $3.20, $2.10, $2.10, Meadows

Seconds

Dean B Hanover, $13.20, $8.60 (Exacta $89.80), Meadowlands
Ponderingjacksfame, $4.20, $2.80, Miami

Thirds

Shvaiko, $5.40, Meadowlands
Rising MVP, $4.20, Meadows
Society Jill, $3.40, Meadows
Vintage Gal, $3.00, Freehold
Rollinwitdaponyzzz, $2.60, Hawthorne
Brooklyn Windup, $2.20, Cal Expo

NEWS & NOTES

Ola Yoder of Indiana purchased Harness Horse of the Year Shartin N for an undisclosed sum in December 2020 and had her bred to Pacer of the Year Captaintreacherous (from the Somebeachsomewhere line). On Feb. 13, arguably the best-bred pacing filly in the world was foaled when world champion Shartin N gave birth to a filly sired by Captainteacherous.

Another top pacing filly, Tall Drink Hanover, foaled a colt by Tall Dark Stranger on Feb. 17. Tall Drink Hanover made 35 starts and had 16 wins, five seconds and three shows, earning $893k before motherhood.

Extraordinary Extras

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