Sophomores Volley At Miami Valley In Stakes Quartet; Philly Pick-4 Fortune A Target; Dexter Cup Elim On Tap

 

This week we focus on Miami Valley for some classic Ohio invitational miles, featuring colts and fillies early in their 2018 crusades as sophomores. Also, we start the week again on Thursday at Philly hunting for a big payoff in the Pick 4. Saturday also presents an elimination of the Dexter Cup as the glamour-boy trotters take off on their hopeful ways to the Hambletonian.

TwinSpires popular, exclusive horses-to-watch (H2W) list deserves attention as serious considerations emerge, most of them on this list and only on this list. It’s for bettors to use in any bets which they engage. If you know the program then go to it—do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections.

PARTNERS FOR PICKS

Philly / Races 7, 8, 9, 10
Thursday, April 26

Leg one, Race 7
A bad trip in last week’s first leg of the Philly Pick 4 took all chances from Go Byem as he battled the tough NF Happenstance, eventual winner and huge favorite. “NF” is again part of the fray and again in the post-drawn trio, while Go Byem gets the rail. The main threat here may be Jack Vernon, not NF, so using both of these in a ticket is investing in the valuable scenario.

Leg two, Race 8
Scratched from these conditions at Philly, Ataboy Hanover returns from his win in similar company. He defied many factors cashing checks at Pocono, where he prepped for this with winning qualifiers and now he is up for a pricey win because it is doubtful the public will choose him to lead the win pools.

Leg three, Race 9
The sole four-year-old in this field is Keystone Nikki and she is also the sole choice to win this leg of the Pick 4 at a good price. She was short in her recent two efforts but should not be dismissed for those failures, both attempts at wiring the fields. Her races at Yonkers, where she met a number of half-mile problems, came off of a sterling start of her campaign at four at the Meadows.

Leg four, Race 10
We bring back Lazy Bones from last week’s Pick-4 target, forgiving him for a poor showing at 132-1 and standing behind the argument we used to choose him before that. Again from post 6, Lazy Bones needed that race and is still freshened from a good qualifier “after tanking at this level in December with a firm excuse.” He may do much better while “pumping up the Pick-4 return in any combination.”

Also from a leg in last week’s multi-race exotic is Guard Your Hearts. She also needed that race and will very likely improve enough off of the needed go-around to be in the mix.

SCARLET & GRAY FILLIES

Ohio-bred sophomores show their early muscles in this traditional series. On April 27, the trotting and pacing fillies each go for $50,000 divisions at Miami Valley (Saturday presents the soph colts on either gait).

Eight are sent off in the first of the Friday pair, the trotters. Chris Beaver’s Red Storm has two wins in two starts already and should take a great deal of the win-pool cash, her record only complemented by those betting on her due to Aaron Merriman’s guidance.

Second in the betting should be Dan Noble’s Non Smoker, also entering his third contest of the early season but with one win and one show. Only Looking For Zelda makes her debut for the season.

Impinktoo has placed in one of her two starts and should improve for trainer Jim Dailey. She is well meant, having earned a batch from only two starts. Also with one place is another Beaver trainee, Sesame. She may take money from Impinktoo based on Beaver and her driver, Miami’s popular Chris Page. This is why we will stand behind Impinktoo.

The pacers also present inexperienced sophs. The exception is Just Zip It, already nine-starts strong with five in the money (two wins). Up Front Flor Ida, who we nabbed last week in a Miami feature, is the top earner and the now horse, for sure. There will also be support for the rail gal, Kay Again, whose three starts include a pair of wins and one place. The name brand here is Ron Burke’s Baron Remy, whose qualifier was a nick short of that raced by “Ida.” As long as trainer names are being dropped, Brian Brown has Grant Me This, who we have to support.

Last week, we proposed that Ida team with Grant Me This for an exacta. It could happen this time, maybe even with Brown’s gal on top. The price will be right for us and far higher than her chances.

SCARLET & GRAY COLTS

Ohio-bred sophomore colts go for $50,000 divisions at Miami Valley on Saturday, April 28 with nine on tap for the trotters racing first.

Pass The Vape is two for two, one win better and a twice the earnings better than two others. However, one of them, Sand Cash, is a Burke-trainee and will be guided by home-track favorite Chris Page. That won’t be enough to get Sand Cash top billing but it may enough of a challenge to narrow the odds. The third obvious choice is Sultan Of Cash, who also pulls along a popular track driver, Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.

If any entry that has any chance of defeating these three and will offer a price it’s MVP Luke. With one win in four starts at three, he belongs in this group but the public won’t give him enough support. This early in the season, MVP Luke makes the race worth betting, considering he may be worse than fourth choice among bettors, which is fine.  

The glamour-boy pacers also present a problem with Sectionline Bigry having lost only one of five starts and in that he finished second. His earnings triple the next best horse’s bankroll.

He will surrender some win-pool cash, though, to Rockn Motion, who is three wins for six starts, one place and two losses. That one is the second of two Jim Dailey-trained entrees and the second, Rockathon, gets our attention. Rockathon is two wins for three starts and at this level at this time of the season who is to say he isn’t a ton better than that early record may forecast?

Ultimately, this mile is tighter in talent than the crowd may measure. Even Burke’s contributions to the field, Seeing Eye Single, who may put in a strong debut-at-three mile, and Stark Hanover, would not be surprises as major competitors to “Bigry.” As well, the two outside pacers, Bounding Dragon and Oberlin, could pave trips to become major involvers.

THE DEXTER ELEVEN

The Grand Circuit goes to Freehold on April 28, featuring glamour-boy trotters in an $44,600 Dexter Cup elimination. A total of 11 horses dropped into the box for the “Dexter,” with Don, Maxus and Perlucky earning byes into next week’s final. The remaining eight horses contest the single elimination on Saturday, with the top five advancing to the final.

Of the eight here, the rail horse, Lindys Big Bang, should take the bulk of the win money. Another one-for one colt, though, coming from post 6 should make the final and could upset that one. Trond Smedshammer’s Credicone will be going great to get the best final post and the top purse check and is worth the support since the crowd will be heavily going for “Bang” and Vic’s Winner.


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

Buffalo
4/28/18, Rock The Dream R1; Focus Power R3; AFF Bigdaddy R6; +Back On Board R8

Cal-Expo
4/27/18, Along Came Jane R5; Fox Valley Ruby R5; Lilbitomama R6; Army Of One R7
4/28/18, +Indio Azteca R4; +Feeling Fancy Free R6

Century
4/28/18, +Remember Terror R4; Torch Of Royalty R7; No Mo Fo Joe R9

Charlottetown
4/28/18, Thebestofme R3; Putnams Spitfire R5; Badlands Giovanna R8

Freehold
4/27/18, Rocky Ground R5; Lost A Rock R7

Flamboro
4/26/18, Grand Illusion R4

Harrington
4/30/18, +JK Onaroll R1; +Shane Adam R3

Hoosier
4/27/18, +Sadiq Hanover R12
4/28/18, Bo I See Time R8; Always Giggling R9; Pennysfromheaven R9

Meadowlands
4/28/18, Miso Fast R7; Love Tap Hanover R3

Meadows
4/28/18, +Modern Xhibit R7

Miami
4/27/18, +Keene Santanna R2; +Joyfultriumphant R3; Hes On A Mission R5; +Big Bad Jane R12
4/29/18, +Dancin Fever R9

Mohawk
4/26/18, Warrawee Titan R1; Mac Raider R3; Talbotcreekwhiskey R10
4/27/18, Ready Any Time R3

Monticello
4/26/18, Clara Bea R3; +Longlive Rocknroll R5; Jetstream Gypsy R7

Northville
4/27/18, Regil Millionaire R4; Noble Prince R6; Always Jazzy R9
4/28/18, Dastardly Dick R7; +Son Of J Lo R8

Northfield
4/28/18, +Paisley Skye R2; +Jetomatt R3

Philly
4/26/18, +Cruise Patrol R3
4/27/18, +Odds On Miami R13

Plainridge
4/26/18, Flyhawk Charm R1; Jay Bees Grin N R2; +Roadshow Vic R7; +One Swan For All R12

Pocono
4/28/18, +Sir Pugsley R6; Cooperstown R12; +Lucan Hanover R14
4/29,18, +Winning American R14

Saratoga
4/27/18, Cakatin Anniemay R8; Duck Duck Dragon R6
4/28/18, +Up Front Napoleon R4

Scarborough
4/28/18, Massive Lightning R3; Bold Willie R9; +Lucky Mac R11

Vernon
4/27/18, +Irish Kate R2; +Painite R10
4/28/18, Macs Black Hat R7; Ms Casty Mac R8

Yonkers
4/27/18, +Watkins R3; +Gina Grace N R7; +Miss Irish Rose A R9
4/28/18, Another Daily Copy R5; +Chumlee A R9