Harness Weekly Update: Longshots spice up exotics

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. 8

This week’s Mohawk Miles selections split in value. Coming in second was a bonanza for across-the-board players backing Sovereign ($26.00, $12.10), but Night Shadow (7-2) could do no better than finishing fifth to a 3-1 winner.

Friday, Sept. 9

In Northville’s sires stakes double, we were second with Smash The Rail ($4.20, $3.40) and in the fillies' division we lost with a favorite, Blue Rose Davine, who finished fourth.

In The Meadowlands NJ Classic finals, we won with Abruzzo ($10.60, $4.60, $3.40). The three other divisions resulted in one second with Temporal Hanover ($2.10) while finishing fifth with Yanaba (20-1) and seventh with Blue Bayou Deo (12-1).

Saturday, Sept. 10

At Mohawk: we won a Milton elim with Test Of Faith ($2.60, $2.10, n/s) and were third in another with Gias Surreal ($3.50).

We were on the board in all three Simcoes. Fourever Boy ($2.60, $2.10, $2.10) won. We finished second in the other two splits with Silver Label ($2.40, $2.10) and Frozen Hanover (23-1) in the division offering no place or show.

We tanked to favorites in both Champlains, coming in sixth and 10th, respectively, with Tip Top Cat (51-1) and Downbythebanks (65-1).

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 (11% win-hit rate and a 37% ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Travlin Swan, $17.60, $7.40, $4.60, Northville
Scrappin Gold, $9.20, $5.00, $4.60, Meadowlands
Get Some Cash, $7.00, $4.40, $3,80, Meadows
Astor, $6.90, $3.80, $3.50, Monticello

Seconds

Joes Beauty, $7.20, $5.40, Bangor
Huntinthelastdolar, $4.10, $3.30, Tioga

Thirds

Pop I, $19.00, Freehold
Ex Why Zee, $11.00, Running Aces
French Wine, $6.20, Red Mile
Emmajean Jellybean, $5.20, Plainridge
Split Rail, $4.80, Saratoga
Sweet Pink, $4.80, Meadows
Ioncehadavision, $3.50, Monticello
Kitty Wampus, $2.20, Running Aces

NEWS & NOTES

Rosecroft Raceway kicks off its 27-day fall meet on Tuesday, Sept. 20. There will be racing on Tuesdays and Thursdays (except for Thanksgiving Day), through Dec. 22. Post time is 7:15 p.m. (ET). Purses are increased. Nightly purses are $115,000 with an additional 40% bonus to all Maryland-sired, -owned, and -bred horses. The annual Potomac Pace will be held on Nov. 10.

Soon, it is Ohio fair time at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. The 2022 Little Brown Jug highlights the meet on Sept. 22. It’s the premier pacing classic for three-year-olds, and along with its sister stakes, the “Jugette,” it provides a major chapter in the more-than-a-century-old history of harness racing. The race was built in the tradition of the Grand Circuit. Watch for our coverage.

The 2022 Maple Leaf Trot was canceled for favorite Alrajah One IT; he was scratched along with the announcement he will not race for the remainder of the year. The horse had a “little bit of a big ankle coming in from the paddock," Sarah Svanstedt said, so connections had the leg scanned and found an injury causing the cancellation of the season. Bred in Italy, the six-year-old son of Maharajah sports 16 victories and more than $1.5 million in purse earnings.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our column Alternative Actions at Harness Racing Update.