Harness Weekly Update: Weathering storms with across-the-board strikes

TwinSpires Staff

December 18th, 2022

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. 15

This week’s Mohawk Miles listed five contenders, none of which raced, as the entire program was canceled due to inclement weather.

At Dover, DS Heartland (24-1) finished fifth to the favorite.

Friday, Dec. 16

The scratching of Boogie Shoes disrupted our Power Play at Northville. The favorite won and we nailed second with Starlitblackdragon ($3.60, $3.00), a $10.80 exacta using the public choice. Hardt To Handle (13-1) finished fifth.

Saturday, Dec. 17

The Power Plays offering a Daily Double/Parlay at Cumberland disappeared as the entire racing canceled due to inclement weather.

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 40 H2W horses (an 8% win-hit rate and a 30% ATB [across-the-board] rate). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Wegoforthefront, $14.60, $4.40, $3.00, Dayton
Northern Luxury, $5.80, $4.00, $4.00 OK, Freehold
Ima Happy Fella GB, $5.20, $3.00, $2.40, Meadowlands

Seconds

Uncle Coz, $10,40, $3.80, Rosecroft
Jays Little Spark, $8.30, $5,30, Charlottetown
Pine Mister, $6.00, $4.40, Dayton
J A T O, $3.80, $3.00 (Exacta $7.40), Freehold
Midnight Zen, $2.80, $2.40, Freehold

Thirds

Hickok Forty Five, $5.60, Dover
Undertaker, $4.60, Yonkers
Blue Collar Bills, $4.00, Dover
Bluebird Affection, $3.00, Cal-Expo

NEWS & NOTES

Racing Hill spent six years at Hickory Lane Farm breeding. Many of his products have done well though not on the major stakes scene. Now 10, the old hoot is returning to competition on the racetrack. The winner of more than $1.7 million in his career, Racing Hill recorded victories in the Breeders Crown with a speed badge of 1:48. He also won the Adios, Hempt, Messenger and Tattersalls Pace in 2016, at three. Trained by Tony Alagna as a freshman, Racing Hill is now back pacing for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. in Ohio.

Over the past decade of the Horses-To-Watch list (H2W), we have traced entries that appear first at one track and for their second listing (if they do not win at first) at another track. Sometimes a horse changes tracks outside of its circuit or after a scratch. We make sure the horse is listed regardless. It may become complicated when a horse ships, scratches at a new track and returns to the original race place a week or more later, but be assured we take note of changes. Our accuracy continues in these cases.

Trainer Rob Harmon is in charge of a talented horse from Great Britain, Ima Happy Fella GB, who won a pacing event. According to Dave Little at The Meadowlands, the five-year-old won in 1:55.3 in his North American pari-mutuel debut. Harmon, Dein Spriggs and W.B. Muggleston own the pacer, who now has 12 wins in 25 starts. The horse is one of many making a trip across the pond. Keep an eye out for the “GB” tagging names of pacers.