Harness Weekly Update: More across-the-board and features success

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, Dec. 2

Thursday’s Mohawk Miles contenders included winning co-favorite Black Betty ($5.00, $3.40, $2.80). The other, bet-back The Magic Of Life (40-1), broke for the second time and was eliminated.

A Pick 3 Power Play delivered one leg’s winner, Heartofgold Devie ($5.40, $2.40, $2.10), while Illusional ($3.80) finished third. In leg two, the favorite won while our two contenders, Deerfield Beast (9-2) and Prologue (17-1) finished fifth and seventh, respectively. In leg three, Shared Interest A ($3.00) was third and Lady Resort AS scratched.

Friday, Dec. 3

A selected feature was on the Meadows’ afternoon program. Sweet Beach ($2.60, $2.60 OK) turned into the favorite and finished second while Slick Mick (7-2) was flat, finishing a disappointing sixth.

Saturday, Dec. 4

The three consecutive races at Northfield were won by two public choices and a 7-2 shot, leaving our three suggested contenders finishing off the board and useless to any wager.

All selected feature horses that did not win appear in next week’s H2W, unless they become bet backs in more selected features.

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). 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 48 active horses (a 10% win hit rate and a 42% ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Fast Track, $9.20, $4.60, $2.40, Cal Expo
Nox, $7.80, $3.60, $2.20, Northville
River Lassena, $5.20, $3.60, $2.40, Cal Expo
Dustylanegoliath, $4.20, $2.60, $2.20, Meadowlands
VH Princess Brea, $3.20, $2.10, $2.10 OK, Philly

Seconds

Edge Of Eternity, $14.40, $6.80 (Exacta $10.00), Yonkers
Dear Diary, $6.20, $9.20 OK (Exacta $34.80), Freehold
Lionhead, $4.80, $2.80, Philly
Major Mac, $4.60, $2.10 (Exacta $7.90), Cal Expo
Last Gunfighter, $3.60, $3.40 (Exacta $11.60), Dover
DC Batgirl, $3.20, $2.10, Hoosier
Baba O’Reilly, $2.20, $2.80 OK, Dover

Thirds

Swan Leader, $7.80, Northville
Rock With JK, $5.60, Hoosier
Social Theories, $3.60, Dayton
Brandon Hanover, $2.50, Yonkers
Gearupn Go Moe, $2.40, Cal Expo
Rock My Soul, $2.40, Meadows
Primo Giovanni, $2.10, Hoosier
Glenferrie Bronte N, n/s, Northfield

NEWS & NOTES

The TwinSpires harness handicapping department reminds players that the ATB (across-the-board) averages listed for each week’s hits on the toteboard prove that suggested horses finishing place-and-show remain remarkably consistent. While bettors center on wins in multi-race exotics, TwinSpires H2W place-and-show mutuels pay handsomely. The ATB averages per week are listed for all suggested contenders hitting the board. In the five weeks of November the ATB average was 40.8. Many place-and-show prices exceeded win prices. Take advantage of the ATB, recognizing how the high averages can contribute to your single-race profits.

Officials at Philly’s harness arena announced a change in the schedule for their final month of their 2021 racing season, extending programs to Dec. 31. The cards previously scheduled for the afternoons of Dec. 8, 15 and 22 are cancelled, replaced with a three-day week of racing on Dec. 29, 30 and 31. Weekday post time remains 12:25 p.m. except for Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, which begin at noon. Sunday post time remains 12:40 p.m.

Going to stud is a horse TwinSpires harness readers have seen many times as a suggested contender and have cashed in on as well. Millionaire trotting stallion Guardian Angel AS starts work as a stud in 2022. A son of Archangel will stand in Ohio, allowing foals to be eligible to the Ohio Sires Stakes program. The stakes-winning stallion has lifetime earnings of more than $1.6 million with a record of 1:50.1 taken at The Meadowlands.

Opening night of the 66-day Buffalo Raceway meet is set for Jan. 26, 2022, and will continue each Wednesday and Saturday with a first post time of 6 p.m. Fridays are added in April along with a switch to afternoon racing. The New York half-mile races through the toughest weather of the year with full-capacity strength and a rough horseman community for some top-notch racing that will be covered with features here and in the TwinSpires H2W list.

Extraordinary Extras

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