Three Two-Digit Winners, $28 On Top; Yonkers’ Series, Dover Finals Deal Dull Dollars

 

We did not destroy any one race this week as we did last week at Yonkers but we stayed in contention as the public stayed hot on the trail of popular pacers in both series. The weekend began at Dover, where more public choices offered pennies for winners. There were some strong prices in the horses-to-watch list (H2W), which is growing each week as more raceways open. Here is our week in chronological order.


Thursday, March 29

On Dover’s final program until winter the featured races were state-bred finals for sophomores on both gaits. Public choices won each of the four finals with the exception of one, which went to the public’s second choice. In that event, our horse, Burn Brighter, scratched.

In the third split we had our best result, completing an $8.00 exacta with Gracefullyforgiven ($3.80, $2.80). In the first and second finals we had no chances since each of our outside contenders broke stride and were eliminated early. They were Alpine Chic (20-1) and Bosston Cruiser (6-1).


Friday, March 30

This week’s Matchmaker series round was kind to favorites as well, which only came through for our second choice, an predicted favorite, Mackenzie A ($3.10, $2.60, $2.80 ok), who won the last division of the program. Our outside contender Dudesalady (5-1), finished fifth.

In division one we were sixth with Annabeth (20-1), who lost to a 6-1 shot that produced the highest win price of the evening’s divisions.

In division two we were second with Safe From Terror ($4.00, n/s) for a $10.60 exacta in the no-show-betting event. Our outside contender, Regil Electra (87-1) raced worse than her odds.

In division three our outside contender, Miss Irish Rose A ($11.20), finished third as the public’s second choice won.


Saturday, March 31

Leg three of the G.M. Levy series offered four divisions and no great surprises. In division one we were fourth with Great Vintage (30-1) while our second choice won—Missile J ($7.30, $4.90, $4.00).

In division two we were second to complete a small exacta worth $8.30 with Bit Of A Legend N ($3.10, $2.60). In division three we wound up with the second favorite but finished sixth with Keystone Velocity (8-5) losing to a 9-2 shot. Finally, in division four we finished fourth with Chumlee A (20-1) to the public’s second choice.


TwinSpires Harness Blog:
Severe Handicapping For Harness Bettors


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 47 active horses (a 17-percent win hit rate and a 45-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

Mildreds Button, $28.20, $11.80, $5.20, Northfield
Jay Bees Grin N, $11.20, $7.40, $2.20, Scarborough
Maradona, $10.80, $5.00, $3.20, Buffalo
*I Will Score, $6.80, $3.00, $2.10, Cal-Expo
RMX Allstar, $4.10, $2.90, $3.50, Flamboro
Jann And Dean, $3.80, $2.20, $2.10, Flamboro
Awesomeness, $3.60, $2.20, $2.20 ok, Pocono
Brioni, $3.00, $2.80, $2.10, Freehold


Seconds

Cash Is King, $5.60, $3.20 (Exacta $37.80), Dover
Elite Awards, $4.00, $3.20, Hoosier
*Pay Dirt, $3.40, $3.00 (Exacta $8.80), Cal-Expo
Mighty Touch, $2.10, $2.10 ok (Exacta $5.60), Scarborough
Nashville Nasty, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Northfield
Nesh Cruiser, $2.10, $2.10, Buffalo
Steed, $2.10, $2.20 dh, Meadowlands


Thirds

Jasmine Ivy, $8.90, Monticello
Electric Western, $5.40, Pocono
Too Darn Hot, $4.60, Dover
Shezgotdawoogies, $4.10, Fraser
Chaseminkifyoudare, $3.90, Fraser
Dangerwillrobinson, $2.60, Meadows


News & Notes

You may have noticed that the H2W includes horses racing at Scarborough Downs. The Maine raceway launched its the 68^th consecutive season over the March 31 weekend—starting its 2018 harness racing season. Scarborough hosts a two-day-a-week schedule, with programs on Saturday and Sunday (afternoon cards) with a post time of 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. the harness racing community responded, with 170 horses racing the first weekend . The Maine Sire Stakes program starts its season this summer on June 23 combined purses over $500,000. The current two-day schedule runs through April.

Yonkers has a new feature beginning in April, reports track PR man Frank Drucker. It’s a weekly wagering exclusive called All-Superfecta Mondays. It begins this coming Monday, April 2. The track administration makes note that due to Mondays turning in the best handles of the week, adding superfectas to the wagering platform for every race that night should assist in an even larger handle.

Harness racing at the Chester, Pennsylvania track recently announced a revision of its 2018 live racing schedule. The Philly harness season will begin Friday, April 13. Opening night’s first post is 6:30 p.m. (Eastern time). The standard race week follows with programs each week on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sundays. During the spring/summer, weekdays the post is 12:25 p.m. and the first post and Sundays is 12:40 p.m. The 2018 season will conclude on Sunday, Dec. 16.

Gerry Hudon, a veteran member of the well-known North American standardbred horsmen family, announced that he is being forced to hang up his driving career for good. Hudon said his doctors warned him of severe physical consequences if he suffered from one more concussion. Hudon is taking no chances of having another such injury by abandoning his driving career. He said he made the decision mostly for the good of himself and his family. Hudon retires from a driving career accumulating 2,084 wins from 11,913 starts. He steered his mounts to earnings of more than $13.2 million in purses over his 30-year career. Hudon said he will train some horses.

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