Rosemary Rose Nabbed For $20 In Courageous Lady; Cold NYSS Champs Daily Double Pays $251; Contenders Alive In Feature Exotics

There was a parade of sires-stakes/province finals co-starring with the $1-million International Trot at Yonkers in the weekend’s menu of features.

The International Trot on Oct. 14 turned out to be a breeze for the strong public favorite, the Italian-based Twister Bi. Our first choice, Oasis Bi ($5.60) was third, while our two other exotic contenders were eighth and sixth, respectively—In Secret, Resolve.

Our big strike on that same Yonkers program was a cold Daily Double as the day’s program began. In the first two New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) Finals we scored with Jersey Jim ($26.80, $9.20, n/s) and then with Alexis Faith ($10.20, $3.10, $3.60 ok). The Daily Double paid $215.20.

As the NYSS events ensued we had only one other in-the-money finisher, though she completed the $58.50 exacta with the favorite—Clear Idea ($7.00, $5.60). Otherwise, Lima Novelty (7-1) finished fifth; Perlucky (11-1) broke and was eliminated; and Mamora Bay (8-1) finished sixth. The two other NYSS events were scratches, as below in the Breeders Crown Countdown report.

Two Invitationals were also on the Yonkers program. In the Dan Rooney were finished third with Missile J ($6.40) and we were also third in the Harry Harvey with Dia Monde ($7.50).

The Courageous Lady at Northfield went exactly as planned for us, winning with Rosemary Rose ($20.60, $13.20, $4.60) on Oct. 14.

At Mohawk, the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals turned into a slaughter for our contenders, with no wins and six losses coming from the dead-on favorites. It was a chalky octet and all we could catch was a third from Illusionesta ($4.00). Our others were big odds and bigger flops: Blameitonthenight (20-1) was fourth; Shadow Moon (6-1) and Speed N Glide (107-1) finished seventh; Machnhope (96-1), Mister Muscle (94-1) and Tymal Reign (38-1) all ended up ninth; and Calvin K (22-1) was last in a field of 10.

Friday, Oct. 13 we sent out eight contenders in as many Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals; one scratched, leaving seven that did not win but three that made the toteboard with finishes. Best on the board was a second from Voom Or Bang ($4.60, $9.00 ok). Two thirds were delivered with Custom Cantab ($2.10) and Ideal Jesse ($6.20).

Off the board were Pretty Image (12-1), fourth; Swan Defined (15-1), fifth; Rockin In The Hills (26-1), who broke; Dave And Dennis (5-1), finishing 10^th; and Fun Time Charlie, who scratched.

BREEDERS CROWN COUNTDOWN

In the last “Countdown” before the elims, we were rife with breaks and scratches.

On Thursday, Oct. 12 at Hoosier, we were second with Deshanel ($2.40, $2.40) in a Madison Country split, with our other contender, Passionate Miss (37-1) finishing fifth.

In a Circuit City division that same night, both of our contenders broke and were eliminated. Crann Tara (7-1) and Cantabmymoney (17-1) galloped along the way.

Then we covered two NYSS finals where two eligible colts in two events scratched—Outcast Blue Chip in the soph-colt pace and Top Flight Angel in the soph-colt trot.


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 28 active horses (a xx-percent win hit rate and a xx-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

Officially Yours, $21.60, $11.00, $5.80, Meadows
Spring Terror, $8.90, $2.80, $3.00 ok, Batavia
Bilbo Hanover, $3.80, $2.60, $2.20, Meadows

Seconds

Bear King, $4.80, $3.40, Plainridge
Rosie Rozzo, $4.80, $2.70 (Exacta $14.80), Monticello
Dustyland Msuikie, $4.40, $2.80, Rideau-Carleton
My Sugar Daddy, $3.60, $2.20, Harrington
A Dandy Bryer, $3.40, $3.40 ok (Exacta $13.40), Northfield


News & Notes

Dover Downs’ harness opens Monday, Oct. 30 and continues until March 30 with racing four days a week. Monday through Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m. Major stakes events include the $350,000-estimated Hap Hansen Progress Pace for soph pacers, eight rich Matron Stakes for juveniles and four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund finals for freshmen pacers and trotters.  

We called it, predicting soph-colt pacer Huntsville would not win his division title but we did not call and are sorry to hear that his racing career ended while training for the Tattersalls Pace. Trainer Ray Schnittker scratched the colt from the race because it sustained an injury in training. A few days later, Huntsville has been retired. He will be an active stud starting next season. Huntsville will be syndicated and stand at Cameo Hills Farm in Montgomery, N.Y.

Much of the Minnesota harness community is heading west again. On Oct. 28, Cal-Expo opens its late-season meet to run through Dec. 31. The barn area at the Sacramento fairgrounds site is already open but the northern wildfires are wreaking havoc on the air as of this writing. The Sacramento Valley was laden with the smell of smoke beneath browing skies on Oct. 11. “Air meters throughout the region registered unhealthy levels of particulate matter from Vacaville and Davis in the west valley to higher foothill elevations,” a local TV news reporter wrote. We will keep our bettors notified on our blogs and through @FrankCotolo on Twitter as to any changes in the track’s schedule due to treacherous turns in the wildfires.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances.

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