Solid Action In Power Plays; Stakes Lack Price Punches

Thursday, Nov. 21

A Thursday Thrush of Power Plays (PoP) lasted all afternoon, beginning at Saratoga and finishing at Philly.

The first batch of PoPs turned out more successful for the single-race exotics than the multi-race exotics, which included a Pick 5 and Pick 4.

The Pick 5 began with a favorite we delivered, DW’sblissfulthinkin ($2.60, $2.20, $2.20), though we hoped for Antiguan Art (40-1), who finished ninth, to knock out Pick-5 tickets from the start.

The Pick 4 began next, in a race won by a 9-2 shot. We finished with the fourth element in the $297-plus superfecta, Rockin Desire (10-1) and fifth with Myeyesadoreya N (5-1).

Race 3 was won by the favorite while we filled in the $53.00 exacta with Sea Change N ($9.40, $7.10) and the $275 trifecta with Sunshine Inn ($4.60).

In Race 4 we offered a single, Seven Chapters, who scratched.

The last PoP leg was won by the public’s second choice while we finished second with Under The Bus ($6.20, $4.00). Our other horse, Culinary Delight N was a beaten favorite, finishing seventh.

After a short break, the Thursday Thrush continued at Philly. In Race 7, first race of the Pick 4, our single Apocalypse (13-1) broke, finishing eighth to the public choice.

Our best strike was in the second leg of the Pick 4 where we won with Dayson ($3.60, $2.80, $2.40) and nailed the $28.20 exacta cold with Armagedon Seelster ($7.00, $5.00).

In Race 9 we were out of the two exotics with Muscle Defined (8-1), finishing fourth to the race favorite.

In the afternoon’s PoP finale we finished fifth to a favorite with Cajole Hanover (32-1).

The favorite-laden multi exotic, a 50-cent Pick 4, paid a paltry $16.80).


Saturday, Nov. 23
The Meadowlands Fall Final Four frosh stakes were not kind to our choices. We could not beat the favorite in the Governor’s Cup. Our possible upset turned out to be impossible; Mac’s Big Boy (51-1) finished fifth in the six-colt field.

Rome Pays Off (62-1) also finished fifth, losing to the public’s second choice, who won the Valley Victory colt trot..

We were second to the favorite in the Goldsmith Maid with Sister Sledge ($2.40, $2.20), completing a puny exacta worth $6.60.

Lastly, The Bethinator (24-1) finished sixth as the second favorite won the Three Diamonds pace for the frosh-filly pacers.

The best we could finish in the aged quartet of stakes was a second with sophomore Bettor’s Wish ($3.60, $2.60), the favorite, in the Open Pace. It was won by a 5-1 shot.

In the Mares Trot our choice, Darling Mearas S (9-1) broke at the gate and was eliminated. A 7-1 shot upset the favorite.

Another three-year-old battling elders was Gimpanzee, finishing fourth. He lost to the second favorite.

In the Mares Pace we were nowhere with longshot Divas Image as the top two favorites won and placed.
 
 
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 42 active horses (a 19-percent win hit rate and a 41-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

*Isaacs Ideal, $29.80, $11.40, $4.40 (Daily Double $23.70), Northville
Shesa Chunkymonkey, $21.70, $7.20, $2.70, Western Fair
Sports Column, $9.40, $5.20, $2.10, Yonkers*Naturalle Muscle, $7.20, $3.00, $2.80 (Daily Double $23.70), Northville
Zenolas Art N, $7.20, $4.60, $3.60, Northfield
Rootin Tootin, $3.60, $2.60, $2.40, Meadowlands
Voyager, $3.40, $2.20, $2.10, Dover
Bunkerhill Bill, $3.00, $2.20, $2.20 ok, Cal-Expo
Seconds

This Or That, $4.90, $3.00, Monticello
Traverse Seelster, $4.00, $3.30 (Exacta $9.20), Batavia
Jimbelina, $3.20, $3.00, Freehold
Colonys Best, $3.00, $2.40, Dayton
Gold Record, $2.80, $2.10, Northfield
Shane Adam, $2.60, $2.20, Yonkers
Zagster, $2.80, $2.60 (Exacta $8.40), Philly

Thirds

Hoosier Paco, $4.80, Meadows
Top Of The Mark, $3.10, Yonkers


News & Notes

Northfield Park will have a mandatory payout of the entire Single Six pool on Wednesday, Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Eve in the U.S. The 20-cent Single Six is a unique combination Pick-6 wager held nightly on races nine through 14. No ticket has hit the Single Six in over six weeks and the carryover pool has grown to an all-time high $119,850.83 as of the Nov. 23 program.

McWicked, the richest pacing stallion in harness racing history, made his final career start in the Open Pace on Nov. 23 at The Meadowlands. Trainer Casie Coleman told Trot Insider that owner Ed James made the decision to end the eight-year-old’s racing career. His 2018 bankroll of $1.6 million made him the oldest horse to top North American harness racing's earnings standings at the age of seven. With another million-dollar season in 2019, McWicked boasts earnings of $5 million. He raced 110 times, with a summary of 40-26-16. The son of McArdle sports a mark of 1:46.2, the third fastest race win time ever.

From the same field, Courtly Choice races for the last time. Courtly Choice will be retired and reside at Winbak Farm of New York. After briefly thinking about retiring Courtly Choice after his three-year-old season, his owners decided to return him to racing at four. Courtly Choice went toe to toe with the best open pacers and won the 2019 Canadian Pacing Derby and other classy events. At three he was often touted by the TwinSpires harness blog and he came through in the Little Brown Jug, Meadowlands Pace and other top events.

Freehold Raceway announced its racing calendar for 2020. A total of 85 dates are scheduled for the calendar year, representing an increase from 76 in 2019. The winter-spring portion of the season begins on Jan. 2, with racing on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until the second week of February. Then, racing is presented on Friday and Saturday afternoons until May 23. After Freehold takes a customary summer vacation, racing resumes for the summer-fall portion of the meet on Aug. 29, continuing on Fridays and Saturdays until Dec. 31. First post time for each day is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Eastern.


Extraordinary Extras

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