Sires Stakes Hat Trick From ‘Key Race’; Lather Up Gone With Gallops; Freshman Tops Win Prices With $40 Score

Our Freshman Frolics section did a bang-up job presenting some of the best prices of the week. Our coverage below explains the big wins, along with some hot places and shows. Make note that two of the Sunday, Aug. 12 features at Tioga will be covered in next week’s update blog, which will be posted on Sunday, Aug. 19 due to special features that afternoon at Tioga.


Friday, Aug. 10

Three favorites duped our choices at two tracks, one of them, Lazarus N, was the focus of the sport on the week after its biggest trot stakes. The “Wonder From Down Under” turned into the “Thunder From Down Under” at Hoosier when, at 1-2, he shook up a field of muscled-up aged pacers to win his first USA competition. In the stretch he looked as if he might cave to Split The House or our upset contender, Bit Of A Legend (15-1) but that did not happen. Split The House took second, we wound up fourth and the Dan Patch Invitational was as boring as pouring milk.

At Saratoga, great-paying state-bred soph-colt pacers were also dulled by the majority opinions in a pair of stakes. We lost both efforts with Chasin Dreams (23-1), who finished fifth and Winning Shadow (41-1), who finished fourth.


Saturday, Aug. 11

At Pocono our “key” race theory took hold in Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) action for soph-filly pacers. In our Aug. 9 preview blog we engaged in a premise that last week’s Shady Daisy stakes was a key race, meaning every horse from that race would come back and race as serious contenders, if not winning.

In the first PASS, we scored with Kissin In The Sand ($2.10, $2.10, $2.10 ok). The exacta we proposed included another filly from the key race and she did finish second. This was Aldine Hanover ($5.20, $5.40 ok) and the exacta was worth $21.40.

Then, in the second PASS there was one filly from the key race; she was the winner and our first choice. Sansovina Hanover ($7.00, $3.80, $2.40) was the public’s second choice.

In the third round we accomplished the hat trick with Alexa’s Power ($2.60, $2.10, $2.10 ok), though the other key-race horse, Double A Mint (5-1), finished fourth. We will pursue Double A Mint.

After a great qualifier following Lazarus N on the comeback trail since an injury, Lather Up (1-1) broke twice in the Carl Millstein at Northfield and did not finish. His main competitors, without breaking stride, had terrible trips, resulting in the optimal opportunity for Thinkbig Dreambig at 7-1.

Also at Northfield, we were third in the Myron Charna ($2.60), beaten by the obvious favorite.


FRESHMAN FROLICS

Fourteen youngsters on both gaits made last week’s “Frolics” list—the exclusive TwinSpires harness section. One scratched. As usual, losers will be on next week’s H2W list). Three double-digit winners ravaged this week’s group, each clear winners (no judges’ placings due to DQ).

The two top-paying winners were from Tioga. They were Cubfan ($40.80, $33.80, $2.10) and Evident Beauty ($23.60, $5.70, $2.70). The third winner, Hesacat ($10.00 , $3.40, $4.40 ok), came from Hoosier.

There were two place finishers. At Scioto we had Smackitwithahammer ($13.60, $7.00) and at Hoosier there was Ollie’s Ztam ($2.10, $2.10 ok).

One on the list finished third—Candy Man ($3.90)—from Tioga.

Two fourths included Fanatic (Philly) and Zack To The Max (Tioga). Two fifths included Rainbow Design (Hoosier) and Premier Rodestar (Northville). Two sixths included Townline ATM (Hoosier) and Queen Of The Pride (Scioto).



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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 34 active horses (an 18-percent win hit rate and a 38-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

One Swan For All, $23.60, $6.60, $4.80, Plainridge
Cantab Ed, $8.40, $5.40, $4.60, Meadows
Crosscut, $7.40, $2.20, $2.10, Scioto
Roll Away Joe, $4.00, $3.60, $2.20, Pocono
Budget Buster, $3.60, $2.70, $2.20, Vernon
Its Chocolate Time, $2.50, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Vernon

Seconds

Draco, $13.40, $7.10, Monticello
Crazyforlovingyou, $4.00, $2.40, Batavia
Gibus, $2.10, $2.10 (Exacta $5.00), Saratoga

Thirds

Coauthor, $7.00, Plainridge
Miss Martha Jones, $$6.80, Red Mile
Royal Trumpery, $4.10, Vernon
Sugar And Spite, $2.80, Scioto


News & Notes

Added to our Aug. 16 preview blog will be the debut of this year’s official TwinSpires/ Hambletonian Society spin-off blog, THE BREEDERS CROWN COUNTDOWN (BCC). Each week through the eliminations (Oct. 19 and Oct. 20) and finals (Oct. 26 and Oct. 27) of the championship series (this year at Pocono) we will choose specific races from the divisions to feature in the BCC blog. These will be events we will analyze to offer great wagering opportunities.

Extra information comes with the BCC blog this season—a top-five list for each of the 12 divisions of pacers and trotters. Based upon TwinSpires’ intense coverage of each division’s best performers through the year, we will compile and update the dozen lists from August through the finals in October. When necessary, we will add comments and other information concerning members of the lists, keeping bettors abreast of the latest happenings with the top steeds.

The next major features stop is Little Brown Jug week at the Delaware, Ohio fairgrounds in September. Speaking of lists, the Ohio track’s official top 10 in line for “Jug” competition has been released but, of course, we have our own thoughts about such a list, as per our BCC top-five list for the sophomore pacing colts.

Here is a preview of our Top Five BCC lists for the Jug and the Jugette (soph-filly pacers):
Sophomore pacing colts: Lather Up; Courtly Choice; Dorsoduro Hanover; American History; Stay Hungry.
Sophomore pacing fillies: Kissin In The Sand; Youaremycandygirl; Alexa’s Power; Sansovina Hanover; I’m Trigger Happy


Extraordinary Extras

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

And check my monthly column, Alternative Actions, at Harness Racing Update