Tweet At Track Nails $17 Hambletonian Winner Chosen By DQ; Ariana G Devours ‘Oaks’; ‘Cashman’ Choices Spark $1,318- Trifecta

HAMBLETONIAN 2017

In the $1-million Hambletonian Final we picked up some luck as we made an on-track change while the betting ensued, as tweeted @FrankCotolo, where we were live at the Meadowlands. Due to the crowd’s play, we re-assigned a win bet to Perfect Spirit (7-1). How that became a cash-in special required repeated views of the mile by the judges.

What The Hill passed Perfect Spirit at the wire after Perfect Stretch led the field into the stretch. However, the inquiry sign quickly lighted on the toteboard, as What The Hill was accused of severe interference just before passing Perfect Spirit. What The Hill’s sulky hit the hoof of Guardian Angel, causing that one to break stride and be eliminated. The judges watched the replay for a while, then took down What The Hill and placed him ninth, leaving us a winner worth $17.00—Perfect Spirit.

The first elimination heat was a great disappointment to Long Tom (3-1) supporters. A magnificent trotter all season in the glamour-boy trotting division and our choice in this elim heat, Long Tom was on the lead strongly turning into the stretch when he began to gallop, eliminating him from the race and the final. Closely following the breaker and staying out of trouble, International Moni, the even-money choice, scooted home easily with Bill’s Man ($5.00, $3.20) second.

The second elim was won with a strong effort by Enterprise at a hard 5-1. He kept to the wood most of the way and took advantage of saving some ground as a few others fought around him. Almost catching him was our choice, Devious Man ($3.80, $3.20). A horse to watch was Perfect Spirit, who got to the lead from post 10 and in a tough trip lost the lead but made the final, finishing third.

MEADOWLANDS STAKES SWEEP

In the Shady Daisy we were cooking but couldn’t beat top choice, so we contributed with exacta partner with Caviart Ally ($4.40, $2.60), combo paying $15.80.

The top mare trotters was spooked and finished off the board in the John Steele Memorial. A 7-2 shot wins it and we just lost second but took third with Emoticon Hanover ($23.00). That is not a misprint. With the big favorite off the board, the place and show prices soared.

No shot for us with Fashion Forever (12-1) in Peter Haughton as he starts to gallop near the half and is eliminated. Jimmy Takter frosh-favorite wins easily.

A Takter student also dominated the frosh-filly trotters in the “Doherty” Memorial. Our choice, also the public’s second choice, Phaetosive ($2.60, $2.20), completes the $5.60 exacta.

In the “Cashman” Memorial our contender played a massive role in a super-priced exotic. Second-choice Resolve won the race, followed by one of our choices, the race favorite, Marion Maurader. The key to the massive trifecta was our main choice, Lookslikeachpndale ($14.20), who came in third. The first two public choices finished one-two and the crowd shook as the trifecta payoff came back $1,318.00. Lookslikeachpndate went off at 50-1.

The Cane Pace was built for Huntsville, the mega-choice, partially due to the absence of Fear The Dragon. Huntsville held off all closers, including our possible upset, Macs Jackpot (99-1), who, like most racers today had a terrible time getting into a fighting position racing from behind.

At 1 1/8-miles, the Sam McKee for older pacers cried out for a longshot and on track we suggested Lyons Snyder (95-1) over our orignal choice because that one, Mel Mara ($3.20, $2.60) was the public choice. Lyons Snyder may have had a much better chance if he didn’t break at the start and be left with the inevitable unable-to-close status. Oddly enough, we were right about the race asking for a longshot as Check Six dueled late in the extra distance and beat Mel Mara at 38-1.

The Lady Liberty, which closed the parade of stakes on Aug. 5, was won by Pure Country, still under the tutelage of Takter. It was the mare’s first victory at four with seven starts on her card. She was the second choice. Our suggested contender, Frost Damage Blues (10-1) finished fifth with fast-closing foes.

FRESHMAN FROLIC

Nine two-year-olds were the focus of this section from Aug 3 through Aug. 4, with no winners and two seconds.

The place finishes were Python Blue Chip ($7.90, $4.40) at Tioga and Apprentice ($5.00, $5.80 ok) at the Meadowlands.

Again, we had a quartet of youngsters finishing fourth, including Devisser (1-1) at Hoosier; Act Like A Diva (6-1) and No Mo Fo Joe (17-1) at Tiorga; and Pecorino (16-1) at the Meadowlands.

Elsewhere, Delco Dusty finished fifth at Hoosier; Unreal (8-1) finished seventh at Philly and Roknrol Freddy (23-1) finished ninth at Hoosier.
 
All freshman losing in their first mentions in the “Frolic” section appear one more time in an upcoming H2W list.


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 35 active horses (an 11-percent win hit rate and a 43-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 is posted.

Winners

Allaboutme Hanover, $9.80, $4.20, $3.00, Hawthorne
Fireyourguns, $4.30, $3.40, $2.60, Saratoga
Miss Lynette, $3.40, $2.60, n/s, Scarborough
Magic Filly, $2.60, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Ocean

Seconds

Mr LJ, $6.20, $4.80 (Exacta $31.80), Red Mile
Fiery Jet, $3.00, $2.10, Plainridge
Wake, $3.00, $2.60 (Exacta $14.60), Scarborough
Maddysonofagun, $2.20, $2.10, Monticello
Yes Mickey, $2.20, $2.10, Meadowlands
Western Fame, dh $2.10, $2.10 (Exacta $13.80), Yonkers

Thirds

Massive Solution, $12.80, Ocean
Tijuana Party, $8.10, Monticello
Olivias Way, $5.70, Rideau-Carleton
Monk, $2.80, Scarborough
Roderick, $2.80, Scarborough


News & Notes

Wiggle It Jiggleit, tough pacing champion at three, will miss an entire year racing at five. Owner George Teague said there is a physical issue with the horse’s back, one that has affected his performances in faster training miles. Teague said there is no way to get the pacer back this year because the problem continues to plague “Wiggle, though Teague does not think it will be permanent. Teague said Wiggle would have only had the opportunity to race him around three times, anyway.

After Huntsville won the Cane Pace, which is the first jewel of pacing’s Triple Crown, on Hambo day, trainer Ray Schnittker was asked if Huntsville would be racing in the second jewel, The Little Brown Jug, in Delaware, Ohio in September. Ray said, “Nah, I don’t put nothing in the Jug. You gotta be a moron to do that.” Huntsville will have a couple of weeks off and then head to stakes at Hoosier Park.

Resolve won the “Cashman” for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt, who also campaigned the international stakes-winning Sebastian K. Ake was asked to compare Resolve to Sebastian K, which resulted in a quick and definitive, “Noooooo. It’s hard to beat forty-nine.” Ake was referring to Sebastian K’s huge 1:49 trotting win.

The Lady Liberty Final was missing the mare-pacing division’s top dog, Lady Shadow but it wasn’t due to her connections passing the event. She was not allowed to enter the race. Meadowlands-owner Jeff Gural barred Lady Shadow from racing in the event after she tested positive for clenbuterol after she won the Betsy Ross on May 28 at Philly. Trainer Ron Adams paid a $500 fine and was suspended for 15 days by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. The mare cannot race for 90 days from the time she won the Roses Are Red on June 18.

Dates for the 2018 racing season have been submitted to the Illinois Racing Board, and Hawthorne Race Course's request for harness dates should increase shows increase from 2017. When Hawthorne became the only extended harness meet in Illinois in 2016, it opened its meet in January and raced through early March, then switched to Thoroughbreds before coming back with a May-September harness meet. Hawthorne is proposing a similar schedule for 2018, with 110 programs. Harness racing will be presented four nights a week from Jan. 12 through March 4 and with the same schedule May 11 through Sept. 23.

Extraordinary Extras

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

For Thom Pye cartoons, informative harness history and more, click here ~