Harness Weekly Update: Ice-cold Yonkers exacta

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, Dec. 1

This week’s expanded Mohawk Miles put three of four within range but off the board. Thankyaverymuch (7-1) and Toughsonofabeach (6-1) finished fourth, and Whatineedisaman was fifth. Day At The Gym was ninth.

Our feature, a Dover state-bred elim, was won by the favorite whom we followed with Johnny Badlands ($2.10) to complete the triple.

Friday, Dec. 2

Our main feature was at Yonkers and it killed. Cold, our contenders finished one-two, producing an exacta worth $38.00. Apex Seelster ($9.90, $4.90, $3.80) was first; Daamericansky ($4.00, $2.50) was second. If you went for a triple using the favorite, Awesomeness, you got back a frozen $160.

Saturday, Dec. 3

The Northfield Pick 4 contestants – races 2 through 5 – got our attention collectively and individually. In order of their appearances, here are the data: Molly Kool ($3.40) was third (the favorite won); Mae Be Magic ($6.80, $3.20) placed second to an 18-1 winner; Rockin Deo (4-1) was fourth to the crowd’s choice. Plzdontlietome N 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 44 H2W horses (a 5% win-hit rate and a 32% ATB [across-the-board] rate). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Bettorshighlight N, $16.00, $6.90, $5.70, Yonkers
Atta Boy Dan, $5.30, $2.60, $2.50, Monticello

Seconds

Pancho Power, $4.80, $2.20, Meadows
Ciel Bleu, $3.60, $3.40, Yonkers
Seaside Hill, $3.60, $3.00 (Exacta $18.00), Northfield
Little Jedi, $3.20, $2.80 (Exacta $15.60), Northville
Aerosmith Hanover, $2.70, $2.10, Saratoga
Shock Wave, $2.10, $3.20 OK, Hoosier
Solid Gold N, $2.10, $2.10, Dover

Thirds

Top Down, $7.40, Meadowlands
Always A Panther, $4.20, Meadowlands
A Major Omen, $2.60, Cal-Expo
Downhill Skiing, $2.60, Northfield
Hi Sir, $2.20, Rosecroft

NEWS & NOTES

A reminder: TwinSpires Harness Preview spotlights overnights as top betting affairs. Losing contenders we support appear the following week with a “+” before their names, indicating they have a bet-back status. All of our features are selected from overnights at various North American raceways and follow our policy of measuring the best of betting opportunities – win, place, show, and exotics which are in the TwinSpires bettors’ interest.

Maine harness racing at Cumberland is a part of the TwinSpires harness preview menu. Its popular Au Revoir Retirement Showcase for 14-year-olds is slated for Dec. 17 with 18 participants, a full field of soon-to-be retirees. The extended pari-mutuel harness racing meet runs through Dec. 24 with first post at 11 a.m. (ET).

Two of the richest frosh Grand Circuit events – the Peter Haughton Memorial Trot for colts and the Jim Doherty Memorial for fillies – move in 2023. Harrah’s Hoosier Park, which has one of the wealthiest open stakes programs, hosts the juvenile miles on Sept. 15. Created by Joe DeFrank for the Meadowlands, the events were part of the Hambletonian Day undercard. They are replaced at the Meadowlands by state-bred events of equal stature. The Hambletonian Society owns and administers the $300,000 (est.) races.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our column Alternative Actions at Harness Racing Update.