More Matrons At Dover; Meadowlands Frosh-Stakes Quartet Corners Colt-And-Filly Stars; Another Pick-5 Fortune Forecasted

Dover Downs is Dover Downs is hosting round two of he Matron Stakes, this time a quartet of lucrative stakes for the sophomores on Thursday, Nov. 16. Then, Saturday at the Meadowlands freshman action returns with elims for the last four big events of their season. Then, we offer another round of Partners For Picks (PFP), so a player may include what may be very valuable additions to a selected single-race exotic at a track we select.

For the rest of the action around the continent, consider outside contenders in our weekly H2W (the horses-to-watch) list. Do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections when playing your bets. Of course, remember to be fully armed with a plentiful TwinSpires betting account. Check it out along with all of the North America harness action covered below.

MATRON SOPH SONGS

The Matrons quartet for three-year-olds takes place on the Nov. 16 program at Dover. At this point in the season, isolating outside contenders may seem futile but late-season stakes can produce some hum-dinger prices on the Delaware oval. Here are our forecasts for good-priced winners in the four divisions’ miles.

FILLY TROT ($186,600): This will be a widely spread eight in the wagering because it is filled with second-tier performers of the division. Ice Attraction may wind up the public choice. Though he is no more potent than the rest, he is the “now” horse for Ake Svanstedt, who also sends the erratic Evelyn. Luc Blais has a pair led by Dream Together, also up for a low price. Jimmy Takter has only entry, That’s All Moni, has not been so dependable against the same ilk the others have faced.

Noel Daley’s Cool Cates is our official outside contender here. She pulled off a few upsets trying to keep up with the top group, then managed to stay afloat for a record well enough to find her first or second half the time she raced. Daley has been sharp with fillies, especially when they faced their most expensive trials.

COLT TROT ($201,900): In a race where Devious Man is the morning-line favorite, considering he has had a bad second half of the season after gallant closing wins in major events, indicates that there’s a pop-up winner here. What The Hill gets post 8 after a disappointing “Erskine” finish at Hoosier. However, that was a terrible trip and he still stands as much better than Ron Burke’s other entry, Snowstorm Hanover. Dover Dan has failed trying to take fields the distance while on top and Yes Mickey has stalled more times than advancing at the right times.

Julie Miller’s Top Flight Angel has been productive in a competitive division and used his best talents to upset a race when there were enough knocks against the obvious foes. This is one of those cases where Top Flight Angel is in a perfect spot against just the right talent to excel. He will be the better price of the Miller’s duo here (Devious Man the other).

FILLY PACE ($182,700): Takter’s Idyllic Beach is the morning-line favorite after contribution some place-and-show finishes at prices more tempting to take. Agent Q and Caviart Ally will leave from the far right and Bettor’s Up will suck in some win money as the morning-line’s shared third choice.

Tequila Monday may be overlooked this time and that would be a gift for our kind of bettors. She has had a little rest but is back to claim some chunks of the year’s last few stakes and has every right to be respected—but she won’t be bet as she would have a few months ago, even though she could be even better now.

COLT PACE ($210,000): Glamour boy pacers have only this race and Dover’s Progress Pace to make any more noise this season. With Fear The Dragon probably waiting to return for the Progress and Huntsville gone to the breeding shed, only Downbytheseaside remains of the top three in the division. He will be the top public choice but may be followed closely by Filibuster Hanover and Funknwaffles.

We liked Boogie Shuffle in the “Crown” but he was sorely compromised by front speed that held for horses that opportunity blessed (Fear The Dragon surrendered competing from the start due to sickness and Downbytheseaside gave up trying to cut into a debated bias). So, we are going to toss out the Crown effort by Boogie Shuffle (finishing 10^th at 11-1) and back his upset here.-

PARTNERS FOR PICKS

Here’s our off-season feature for early 2018 season. The PFP suggests some outside contenders, as we foresee them, to use in a multi-race exotic (consider them for other bets, too). In this case, we present possibilities for a Pick 5 at Plaidridge on Friday, Nov. 17. This is a 50-cent wager

Leg 1; Race 3: With a field of merely six we imagine a lot of players will hit the “all” button, as there are cases to make for more than half of the field. So, go unnoticed and put in Scarborough-invader Conkers Conquest, who may go off near his 10-1 morning line (ML). With a lot of “short speed,” this one could get a perfect trip and knock ‘em off come the wire.

Leg 2; Race 4: It’sabouttime won his recent Patriot event finding saving-grace space as the others dueled for the top. What is impressive, not opportunistic, is the fact that he came out mid-mile and took command, only to gain and win going away. With an ML of 12-1, he is clearly the outside contender, as the crowd will most likely go again for Fox Valley Arctic, who did not survive a DQ from winning.

Leg 3; Race 5: Two big favorites emerge in this claimer, both leaving from the outside in a field of seven and both volatile. To their right is 8-1 ML outsider Dontmeswiththebest, who we feel must be included in tickets. The chance you take, of course, has only to do with staying on gait because when he is full of his own stride he can beat anyone in this field from any post in which they start.

Leg 4; Race 6: More ML favorites leave on the outside in this conditioned event for ex-Patriot participants. A caveat here is that one of the Patriot’s recent co-favorites at 2-1, Rock My Life, leaves here from the rail with a 9-1 ML and a track-handicapper’s opinion that he steps up (due mostly to the condition for earnings). Still, his Nov. 10 Patriot mile was super; he sustained an overland journey to finish second. He has a tendency to pace after leaders but here he could win with a ground-saving trip and enough stretch power to defeat the obvious choices at a price.

Leg 5; Race 7: A sparkling outsider here is the stepping-up Our Cullenscrown. Just to his left, the ML maker has forecast Denver Dolly at 3-1 off a win at 3-1—and he, too, steps up a notch. Our Cullenscrown’s ML is 10-1. He comes off a win and before that has an excuse for coming in second (both times the favorite) and there are four races that demand forgiveness, including a judge and a personal scratch. Certainly, the crowd will make him an outsider but add him to pump up a price even if the crowd is correct in a majority of the first four legs.

FINAL FROSH FOUR

The Meadowlands hosts four $20,000 elims that qualify the fields for the late-season frosh finals that once headlined at the ill-fated Garden State Park. Fields of 10 eliminate just a pair of elim participants. In order of their appearance on the Nov. 18 program, there are our takes on the divisions’ stakes.

Three Diamonds, two-year-old filly pace
Reign On Me, though leaving from post 10 (outside), should make the final and could possibly win this at a better price than if he were leaving on the inside. Your race favorite is bound to be Kissin In The Sand, though she will be bet far too heavily, leaving room for Reign On Me, as well as a strong bid from Python Blue Chip, who could be in the payoff mix for a large blend of dough.

Goldsmith Maid, two-year-old filly trot
This is one tough group to estimate, however our vigil watch of Kadabra daughters guides us to Nifty Norman’s Smoke And Mirrors. She has traveled with classy foes, some of these included, and she has to be a contender, even facing the likes of powerful crowd choices like Basquiat and Lily Stride. With the moneybags in the back, including Plunge Blue Chip, take the outside contender with the bloodline that the crowd will underestimate.

Valley Victory, two-year-old colt trot
Here’s a return colt that should definitely be respected—Kinda Lucky Lindy. This guy would have appeared for the second time on our H2W, as we have been waiting for him to come back from a race at Woodbine. He shows up in this major act and perfectly fits among more well-known frosh stars like Met’s Hall, Wolfgang and Fourth Dimension. Kinda Lucky Lindy is a son of Lucky Chucky that stays in the “Lindy” barn with Frank Antonacci training, and will be fresh and fiery for this and the final—although if he wins here it will be at a better price then next week’s final.

Governor’s Cup, two-year-old colt pace
With a new governor of New Jersey, this “Cup” becomes homage to the anti-Christie crowd in the turned-Blue state. Lost In Time may have more of a problem winning this than the Democratic candidate had winning the governorship. Lost In Time left many stunned by losing his Crown event and here the “now” horse, Springsteen, another New Jersey reference, could out-wager him, especially leaving four posts to his left. There are two maidens here and both can be easily dismissed.

However, the lightly raced Captain Deo, Tony Alagna’s son of Somebeachsomewhere, whose dam is the mighty Worldly Beauty, may go somewhat unnoticed as bettors weigh his inexperience over his bloodline, and that could mean a strong price presented, especially as money will be attracted by American History, Closing Statement, Grand Teton and Nutcracker Sweet. If so, Captain Deo may pay the best he would ever pay as he heads for his sophomore season.


H2W Legend

Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last) time because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

H2W LIST

Bangor
11/17/17, Fox River Ruler R4

Cal-Expo
11/17/17, +Skyway Jade R3; +Be My Lucky Lady R4; +Ragins Flight R8; Shesamysterytome R10
11/18/17, +Lil Orphan Elmer R1; +Tornado Henry R3; +One Chief R5; +Tame The Dice R9

Charlottetown
11/18/17, +Lexis Mandy R7; Badlands Giovanna R8; Rojans White Jet R11

Dayton
11/17/17, +Power Of Justice R1; +Blue Swan R1

Freehold
11/17/17, +Tzar R3; Blue Monster R8
11/18/17, Reach For Infinity R11

Meadowlands
11/18/17, +Clifton Beach R1; +Bedroomconfessions R7

Meadows
11/18/17, +Dafinity R3

Northfield
11/18/17, +Happy To Scoot R2; +Rescue Team R10; +Just Nattie R13

Northlands
11/18/17, Starface R7; That’s Amare R8; Gray Zee R9
 
Northville
11/17/17, Vegas Secret R3; Chelsea Ray R9
11/18/17, +Ms Jailbait R5

Plainridge
11/17/17, +Majestos R8

Pompano
11/19/17, Carlos Mittanna R4; Pointsman R5; Prince Jubilee R7

Rideau-Carleton
11/16/17, +Big Bad Mach R6; +Shady Jack R9

Rosecroft
11/18/17, JAS Going Away R1; I Run The Show R2; Makin Money Fast R4

Saratoga
11/16/17, +Royal Heiress R3

Scarborough
11/18/17, Shesa Writes Right R2; Dominics Magic R3; Tylers Rendezvous R7

Woodbine
11/17/17, Franschode R2; V String R8; Kloof Street R8; Bernadette R9

Yonkers
11/18/17, +Bungalow Bill N R3; +Burning N R5; +Missile J R7