Super $51 Score In Grand Circuit Stakes; Overnights Shine With Strong Prices

The weekend was heightened on Saturday, April 25 with a big coup in the official opening of the Reynolds Grand Circuit stakes, when we supported the winner at the Meadowlands. Fast Movin Train ($51.60, $19.40, $7.60) was every bit as good as we thought he would be and certainly went off at odds we could only hope to play.

Later in the program, our choice, Ideal Cowboy (7-1), was fifth in the Meadowlands’ Whata Baron series event.

The big Yonkers program that same night left us with some disappointments. Even our only winner, Venus Delight ($5.80, $2.50 n/s) didn’t pay what we thought she would pay in the Matchmaker Final. And in the consolation, Palm Patrol (19-1) couldn’t do better than third (n/s).

The “Levy” trio also found us cold. We were seventh in the final (a 7-1 took advantage of a hot duel with PH Supercam to win), seventh in the consolation (12-1) and fourth in the special Levy eligibles mile at 15-1.

Friday, April 24, the Meadows Maturity did not go to Shake It Cerry but our second choice finished a brilliant second—Cowgirl Hall ($10.80, $19.00 ok). Later that program we had another second, this one in the Do The Honor feature, with Someone Faneous ($5.60, $3.60). The public’s second choice won that event.

At Miami Valley our horse, Ollie Pop, did not race.

Hambletonian Trail

Beginning this week, two harness blogs will appear on these pages as we begin our annual focus on sophomore trotters heading towards the classic trots on the first Saturday in August. Each week, the Hambletonian Trail blog will spin-off our main harness blog and highlight races for colts and fillies that are eligible for the main event. With so much on the line, these are great betting races and with the exclusive assistance of the Hambletonian Society we will analyze all the events, seeking the best possible prices.

We begin with The Dexter Cup Final at Freehold on Kentucky Derby weekend. So watch for the Hambletonian Trail blog each week until August, when we will report live from the Meadowlands for the stakes-packed program.

The H2W list has proven to be a strong source for across-the-board plays to deliver profits. This past week, for reasons left to chance, we had a surplus of outside posts for a lot of the list horses. Some of them were listed for their second and final time but you may wish to still watch them in their next outings, based on how you feel those outside posts affected their performances.

In between published harness blogs, follow @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires on Twitter.

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas are included when a H2W horse finishing second completes the result 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 the exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price. This week, there were 56 active horses.

Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place and/or show results occurring after press time and that it is up to you to follow those horses that have not performed before this weekly review is posted.

Winners

Tour Guide, $21.00, $5.60, $4.00, Cal Expo
Some Kinda Beach, $16.00, $11.20, $3.80, Hoosier
Regal Honor, $10.60, $5.40, $3.40, Maywood
Bestnotlie Hanover, $10.00, $3.40, $3.40 ok, Pocono
Doo Wop Hanover, $7.00, $3.80, $3.20, Meadowlands
Puzzlement, $6.80, $3.20, $2.20, Scarborough
Rockers Alley, $3.20, $2.20, $2.10, Pocono

Seconds

R Sam, $12.60, $7.60, Pocono
Ridin Solo, $11.20, $6.00 (Exacta $23.20), Scarborough
Maddysonofagun, $8.80, $3.60, Hoosier
Southwind Whiski, $6.40, $3.00, Buffalo
Star Dancer, $4.40, $3.00, Scarborough
Jetta Dough, $3.80, $3.40 (Exacta $11.80), Meadows
Ataway Samantha, $3.60, $3.20 (Exacta $13.20), Maywood
Fox Valley Bobbijo, $3.40, $2.40, Maywood
Ol Man River, $3.40, $2.40, Buffalo

Thirds
 
Flirt The Issue, $12.40, Philadelphia
Benns Clearout, $7.00, Northville
Cantholdmebackmack, $3.80, Maywood
Dakota Run, $3.80, Maywood
Here Comes Thunder, $2.50, Vernon
The Mexican, $2.30, Buffalo
Jk Panache, $2.20, Vernon
Morwyn Hanover, $2.20, Maywood

News & Notes

Miami Valley Raceway has a lot planned for its final 2015 program on Sunday afternoon, May 3. In addition to a pair of Grand Circuit stakes for older trotting and pacing mares, there will be a five-eighths mile dash and a 1 ¼- mile race, both which could provide world records for the distances over a five-eighths mile oval. The invitational races are conditioned with base purses for each at $10,000, with an added $3,000 bonus to be equally divided by the driver, trainer and owner(s) of a horse that breaks the current record. Notable nominees to the $75,000 (est.) Chip Noble Memorial Stake for older pacing mares on May 3 include Color’s A Virgin, Yagonnakissmeornot, Rocklamation, Carolsideal and Fancy Desire. The $85,000 (est.) Miami Valley Distaff for older trotting mares also includes a number of familiar names including Bee A Magician, Classic Martine, D’Orsay, Daylon Miracle, Frau Blucher and Shake It Cerry.

The return of the Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, May 17, is shaping up, with a total of 23 top-level four-year-old pacers eligible to the $200,000 (added) event. Look who’s back: He's Watching. The Dave Menary trainee enters his four-year-old season with more than $1.1 million in earnings, even though his sophomore season fell far short of all expectations. Also on the docket are Little Brown Jug winner Limelight Beach and Ontario Sires Stakes champion Three Of Clubs. Eliminations for the Confederation Cup will be contested on Sunday, May 10. Post time for eliminations and Confederation Cup programs is 6 p.m

Extraordinary Extras

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

Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog

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