Hot Pick At Pompano Pays $40; Matchmaker Gets Four Of Five; ‘Levy’ Group Puts In Poor Miles

Here is how the week of wagering treated our suggested contenders: Thursday, March 14 We attempted another multi-exotic attack at Saratoga but we may be looking elsewhere to begin our blog previews as spring arrives. The domination of favorites at the New York oval has been unstoppable. Chasing the bigger prices this week, we were brought to our knees when public choices won all the legs of the program’s opening Pick 3/Pick 5. The ambitions Power Plays, featuring the exotics in the quintet of races, yielded only three finishers on the board. The closest to winning was a place finish by Lynn Bin Con Kin ($4.10, $3.80), which partnered with the winning favorite for an exacta worth $29.60. Finishing third in two legs were Stirling Cameo ($2.40) nd Oporto Hanover ($7.10). For the five events, in order of finishes, the off-the-board contenders included Oh Whata Night John (29-1); Bonzai Beach (5-1); The Time To Win (8-1); Fade To Gold (32-1); Aunt Betty (8-1); and Open Table (18-1). Friday, March 15 The opening leg of the Matchmaker was not much of a price parade for any bettor, but we hit four of five divisions. In the first field we has Ideal Lifestyle ($3.90, $2.60, $2.10) with Write Me A Song ($2.30) getting third. The second division awarded our readers the top two finishers: Delightful Memphisn ($6.60, $2.50, $2.10) and Bettor Joy N ($2.20, $2.10) for an exacta worth $11.40. We were not expecting so many of our choices to be bet hard but they were mostly fancied within the top of the crowd choices, as was the winner of the third episode, Apple Bottom Jeans ($2.60, $2.10, $2.10 ok). Our only true outside contender, Sheeza GNP N (14-1) finished fifth to the race favorite in the penultimate divisions of the program, while the obvious choice for us and all, Shartin N ($2.20, $2.10 n/s) opened her season winning in the nightcap. Saturday, March 16 The opening “Levy” sextet was not kind to our outside contenders, which under-performed with great disappointment. We began with a winner that we did not predict would be the favorite. It was Western Fame ($4.40, $2.70, $2.50). Our exotic addition, Don Domingo N (5-1) was fifth. Also surprising us was our only other winner of the Levys on the program, Anythingforlove A ($2.70, $2.10, $2.10 ok). We did not suppose him to be a public choice but they went for him and not our other choice, Christen Me N (11-1). That entry was one of the Hudson-on-the-Hudson-trained group that raced miserably. Next, a 9-1 surprise to us all won, while our contender, Sams A Champ A (3-1) finished fourth and Bit Of A Legend (23-1) did not put any effort from the 8 hole, watching the entire field during all four turns. The crowd’s second choice won the next and our contender, Military Master A (90-1), had no role in the race at all, finishing eighth. We got third in the penultimate division with Bettors Fire N ($4.60) as a wild 19-1 shot got a perfect trip and put on the gas late to win at the top leg-one price. There was no rest for our weary contenders as the favorite won the nightcap and we dragged home with the rest of the field with Lockton Luck A (97-1). H2W LIST RESULTS The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas listed are included when a H2W horse finishes second with a race favorite or the first two finishers making up the exacta are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price or any or all of the prices are the same. This week, there were 49 active horses (a 18-percent win hit rate and a 57-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate). Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place, show and exotic results occurring by press time but some horses race after the blog is posted (we list them the following weeks) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review. Winners Hot Tip, $40.80, $6.60, $4.60, Pompano Filly Forty Seven, $11.20, $4.50, $3.00, Yonkers We Think Alike, $9.60, $4.80, $3.20, Yonkers Avatar Seelster, $7.60, $3.80, $2.40, Western Fair Romantic Interest, $5.60, $3.00, $2.80, Dover Dateline Hanover, $4.20, $3.00, $2.80, Miami Gina Grace N, $3.40, $2.60, $2.10, Saratoga Titanium Seelster, $3.30, $2.50, $2.80 ok, Mohawk Miss Meeko, $2.40, $2.20, $2.10, Miami Seconds Shinobu Hanover, $15.00, $10.20 (Exacta $46.80), Pocono Givenupdreaming, $11.60, $8.50, Yonkers Therealgoods, $9.80, $5.40, Cal Expo Rock Fame, $5.60, $3.20 (Exacta $24.20), Buffalo Therealgoods, $4.80, $3.40, Cal Expo Broadway Bruiser, $4.70, $2.90 (Exacta $12,00), Yonkers Proper One, $4.60, $3.00 (Exacta $13.40), Dover Piece Of The Rock, $3.60, $3.60 ok, Dover King Of The Crop, $3.00, $3.80 ok (Exacta $6.00), Cal Expo Custard Lite, $2.50, $2.60 ok, Fraser Thirds Burton Blue Chip, $3.90, Buffalo Major Jessee, $3.40, Cal Expo Trotting Grace, $3.20, Miami Carlos Danger, $3.10, Buffalo Almost Cut My Hair, $3.00, Cal Expo HA Houston, $2.70, Western Fair Rebel Voyager, $2.70, Buffalo Polak A, $2.20, Pocono Casey Hanover, $2.10, Pompano News & Notes Saratoga Casino Hotel (SCH) management has agreed to terms with the Saratoga Harness Horseperson’s Association (SHHA) that guarantees harness racing at Saratoga for seven years. The deal guarantees 170 annual race dates and purse funding each year, through 2025. SCH says it recognizes the area has an historic foundation originating with harness racing and that it is “proud to continue our role in supporting New York’s … rich tradition of harness racing in Saratoga Springs.” The SHHA represents 850 owners, trainers, drivers and grooms at Saratoga. Senator Dan Hall introduced legislation to designate Dan Patch as the official horse of Minnesota. If passed, the iconic pacer, Dan Patch, joins 18 other state symbols. The senator agrees with many that Dan Patch “speaks to the experiences of a lot of [Minnesotans]. Many U.S. states have representative creatures other than horses, including state birds, fish and reptiles. Breeds usually represent states. The thoroughbred is the official state horse for Kentucky and Maryland. No state is recognized by the standardbred breed, no less by a single standardbred. The $1 million Hambletonian and $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks filly stakes will be raced on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 3, at the Meadowlands.The 94^th edition of the Open event features eliminations and the final on the same program. Eliminations for the “Oaks,” if necessary, are on Saturday, July 27. Trainer Marcus Melander has the Winter Book favourite for the Hambletonian, Gimpanzee, a son of Chapter Seven, won all nine races in his frosh season, including the Breeders Crown and the New York Sire Stakes Final, earning $591,358. Other contenders include Green Manalishi S, Swandre The Giant and Greenshoe. Extraordinary Extras Indulge in my monthly columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update