Harness Weekly Update: Selected features pay off

The TwinSpires Harness Blog Weekly Update covers our successes and failures from selected features and the H2W (horses-to-watch list, now including Hoosier spin-offs).

Thursday, Nov. 25

Thursday’s Mohawk Miles contenders included a winning bet back, though not a longshot in  Northern Blizzard ($4.20, $3.30, $3.40 OK). The other, The Magic Of Life (5-1), broke and was eliminated.

At Hoosier, the four Thanksgiving Classics contenders assisted in two exactas (with the favorites on top), offering good place prices, including Platinum AS ($7.60, $5.80; Exacta $25.80) and DC Batgirl ($4.80, $2.60; Exacta $16.80).

In another, Pub Crawl ($2.20, $2.10) was second while our other choice, Queen Of All (12-1), finished fourth to a 14-1 shot. A favorite beat Rock With JK (90-1) who finished fifth.

Friday, Nov. 26

Our selected features have begun. We took on a trio of races at Dayton for singular race and Pick 3 wagering.

It was a good start with the winner Vel Charlie ($6.60, $4,40, $3.20) and the place with Social Theories ($4.00, $2.60) which were the cold makings of a $28.00 exacta.

We were off the board in leg 2, aiming at two longer shots. Awsome Paul (6-1) and Deer Run Billy (9-1) finished 10th and ninth,^, respectively, while the public choice won.

In leg 3 a 28-1 shot took down most tickets while we finished third with One Fine Andi ($3.80) and sixth with Martha Max (9-2).

A single feature at Northville produced Miss Explosion ($19.40, $12.60, $4.20), while Wanderer ($3.80) was third and Southwind Scorpion (5-2) tuned in seventh.

Saturday, Nov. 27

The afternoon Charlottetown program had two features. In the first one we had Century Ga Ga (5-1) who made one big move but could not sustain better than finishing sixth. In the second we had Thebossisagirl ($2.90, $2.10), and Traces Of Purple 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 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 26 active horses (an 8% 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

Dragon Time, $10.80, $6.40, $3.00, Meadows
Loutenent, $8.20, $3.40, $3,00, Dayton

Seconds

Another Beach Day, $5.40, $3.60, Pompano
Burkes Bandit, $4.40, $3.20, Plainridge
One Swan For All, $3.20, $2.80, Plainridge
Dbldelitebrigade N, $2.60, $2.60 OK, Freehold

Thirds

Swan Leader, $6.20, Northville
Maggie Mae Trot, $4.80, Northville
Believe In Angels, $4.70, Monticello
Super Betcha, $4.00, Plainridge
Astra, $2.40, Northville

NEWS & NOTES

In 2022, Seelster Farms handles Bulldog Hanover’s second job—to breed while he continues to race. Trainer Jack Darling is offering a rare opportunity to get in on the first crop of Bulldog Hanover while he attempts to add to his racing resume. “(He) loves to race,” Darling said, “and I'm sure he’ll love the breeding shed as well. He has all the attributes that we look for in a racehorse (including) conformation. He is an outstanding physical specimen and has one of the best pedigrees in the business.”

After a few races where we expected (but were disappointed in) an off-the-pace win from Rockyroad Hanover, Dexter Dunn did it in the $310k Progress Pace Final on Nov. 24 at Dover Downs. “Rocky” and Dex came off the car and traveled a pocket trip in the process and then pounced through the open stretch to win. Rocky raced three wide around the first turn as Abuckabett Hanover pushed for the front with Chase H Hanover showing speed as well. He cleared command to the top and challenged 3-5 Charlie May to take the front.

Extraordinary Extras

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