Our Grand Circuit Mohawk Choices Contribute To Low Prices As Favorites Romp; Messenger Elims Short On Prices, Promising For Upset In Final

The Grand Circuit headed north and the freshman divisions were in flight there, as well as with our special section. Setups for big events next week were all in play and the public was dead-on in all but a few.

Here’s how it all came down:


Saturday, Aug. 25

Our feature-heavy evening began at Mohawk where the Grand Circuit frosh events for colt and filly pacers.

In the first of two Eternal Camnation (E-C) splits we featured, we lost to the favorite, nipped at the wire, finishing third, with Queen Of The Pride ($2.40).

We wound up with the favorite in the second division of the E-C we covered. Coming in second to a 4-1 shot was Odds On St Lucie ($2.50, $2.40).

The frosh colts faced big dough in three Nassagawaya Stakes (N-S). The first mile went to the public choice while we finished sixth with Prestige Seelster (36-1).

A huge favorite in the second N-S chapter teamed with our choice, Lyons Night Hawk ($5.20, n/s) for a $9.40 exactor. 

The one colt that was undeniably the best in N-S part three was our choice as well as everyone else’s. Stag Party ($2.50, $2.50, $2.10 ok) decimated his foes with one move and lots of speed.

While Mohawk was in action, we also featured elims for the Messenger at Yonkers. One of the Messenger’s short elim fields included a surprisingly good performance by Babes Dig Me, the second choice for the public (name recognition only, we’re guessing), beating our choice, longshot JK Wildfire ($9.20, n/s) by a head. Considering this performance, the Brett Pelling-conditioned pacer  is a candidate for a pricey win in next week’s final.

In the second elim, the public made us look silly, as the big favorite won and there was no sign of a suspected big mile from our contender, Decoy (29-1), who ended his mile in fifth.


BREEDERS CROWN COUNTDOWN

A sharp prediction from our sister blog, the Casual Breeze at Mohawk on Friday, Aug. 24, was spot on, won by Manchego ($3.60, $2.10, $2.10 ok) over Atlanta ($2.10, $2.10). The popular public exacta returned $5.00.

The first Maple Leaf Trot elimination on Aug. 25 went off with a surprise to us as our contender was bet down to be the public’s second choice behind Marion Marauder, who won. Finishing just behind the favorite, then, was Dancer Hall ($2.80, $2.20), for an exactor worth $10.00.

Ariana G was abandoned by the public in the second elim but won at 10-1 in the second elimination. Our contender, Warrawee Roo (21-1) made the final, finishing fifth. 
 

FRESHMAN FROLICS

Thirteen youngsters on both gaits were scheduled for mde last week’s “Frolics” list—the exclusive TwinSpires harness section. One (Baby Maker Hanover, however, raced in a non-betting event, leaving a dozen. As usual, losers will be on next week’s H2W list. Make note that there will be only one more Frolics section this season, as the divisions are passing their window of opportunity for the edge we use.

We had only one winner among this week’s group, which covered Aug. 23 and Aug. 24 races—Skater Chick ($2.10, $2.10, $2.10 ok) at Philly.

Two seconds were recorded, one included in a $36.60 exacta with the favorite. That was Docs Darlin ($9.80, $4.80) at Mohawk. Darn Tootin Hanover ($2.10, $2.10 ok) was second at Philly.

A pair of show horses made the board. Presto Change O ($2.60) at Mohawk and July ($6.20) at Freehold.

Also from the list, Queenace Bluechip and Buddy Hill finished fourth at Yonkers.
Eowyn (Red Mile) took fifth; Always A Vavoom and Outloud got sixth at Hoosier; JK Ready To Roll ended up seventh at Vernon; Devilish Diana broke to end up ninth at Scioto.



TwinSpires Harness Blog:
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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 53 active horses (an 15-percent win hit rate and a 36-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 week) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review

Winners

Annies Rocketman, $19.20, $7.40, $3.40, Northfield
Texaco Man, $13.80, $6.00, $5.40, Plainridge
Hetties Commander, $13.30, $6.20, $3.70, Mohawk
Someboysomewhere, $9.00, $3.20, $2.60, Monticello
Medusa, $8.20, $4.00, $3.00, Yonkers
Way To Go Fabieo, $6.40, $4.30, $3.00, Batavia
Tom And Stan, $5.80, $3.60, $3.20, Scarborough
Givemeonemoreshot, $3.60, $3.00, $2.80, Northville
 
Seconds

Tampa Bay Escape, $8.60, $4.70 (Exacta $26.40), Batavia
She’s Uncorked, $7.80, $4.60 (Exacta $20.60), Tioga
Cinder Block, $7.60, $2.80, Harrington
Wes Delight, $7.60, $3.20 (Exacta $30.40), Meadows
Medoland Pearl, $7.00, $4.00, Northfield
Gerardo, $3.60, $2.40, Mohawk

Thirds

Oh Jonny B Good N, $4.00, Yonkers
Sylvia Trench, $3.40, Plainridge
Eachyahartout, $2.90, Vernon
Johnny Bravo, $2.90, Mohawk
Contemporary Legend, $2.60, Running Aces


News & Notes

There were no elims for this year’s Canadian Pacing Derby, so next weekend 10 stalwart pacers battle for the $600,000 purse at Mohawk. The cast includes Lazarus N, the Australasian import handled by Jimmy Takter. “Laz” looks for his second-straight win after decimating every Down Under stakes race before coming across the continents. This will be his first race in Canada. The six-year-old won over $2 million before becoming a property of U.S. owner Taylor Made Stallions. Lazarus N is a son of Bettors Delight.

The Canadian Pacing Derby cast of Lazarus N-slayers includes nine veteran bulwarks of the division. Defending champion Sintra is one of them. McWicked will attempt to win the event after three failed tries. Three ruffians from the Ron Burke barn race, including All Bets Off, Filibuster Hanover and Rockin Ron. Also in the fray are Dr J Hanover, Split The House, Nirvana Seelster and Western Fame. Lazarus N needed to be supplemented for $40,000 to take on the North American gang.

Though the local bells and whistles were plenty for the cast of horses and horsemen in this year’s Gold Cup & Saucer final at Charlottestown Driving Park, our cheers of delight were provided by Vance Cameron’s race call. In the new millennium, when a 27.2 half in a harness race may barely raise a race-caller’s volume on any size track, Mr. Cameron wailed the number in this year’s “Cup” with all the fervor of Herbert Morrison’s Hindenburg report. “Boom! Just like that!” In the stretch, Mr. Cameron’s bellicose approach to the Cup’s final steps seems to take any remaining air from his lungs as he announces the winner and breathes deeply, “Wahowwww.” It’s a paradox that Mr. Cameron’s vocal drama accompanies such a marginal racing event and yet so entertaining at the same time.


Extraordinary Extras

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