Yonkers Pacing Series In Last Round; Profit Stalking at Pocono, Meadowlands

The George Morton Levy Memorial and Blue Chip Matchmaker series are each on their last leg, so to speak. Yonkers presents another Friday and Saturday night of divisions, the overture for next week’s finals. In the “Levy.” There are three Levy splits on April 18. PH Supercam returns after earning a rest through division four. He is going for the sweep.

On April 18 at the Meadowlands it’s leg one of the Whata Baron series for three-and-up pacers, with two divisions on Saturday. At Pocono, the Bobby Weiss Final ($30,000) concludes that series Here and there, soft series’ divisions clutter the calendar as the Grand Circuit looms boldly for its launch in May.

The action around the ovals is reflected in our exclusive horses-to-watch (H2W) list. Serious contenders for across-the-board/exotic play from coast to coast are cooking for your delight. As well, TwinSpires teams with Hoosier Park again for another season of player perks. Click here to check it out.

A spring special offers free harness past performances through June. Click here to take advantage of the deal.

Last Of The Matchmakers

The lone Matchmaker division is on Friday, Apirl 17. Six take on the penultimate series attraction, with Camille and Krispy Apple likely to fill the win pool between them. The series has not been kind to any one mare and the two mentioned aren’t even as good as one another (“Krispy” gets an edge over Camille). The most impressive piece of information here is Palm Patrol having made as much as Camille this year with only one in 11 wins. Her five seconds prove she is competitive and that gives her a slim chance to upset here.

Whata Baron Briefs

The Whata Baron series is for older pacers with conditions. The first of two divisions in the prelim opener is a fairly contentious sextet. Ideal Cowboy debuts at four after a productive soph season and should pick up major dough. JK Patriot has been collecting checks across the board; Americanprimetime debuts at three with good practice and Rediscovery won a Yonkers series final with a great trip. Cheyenne Seeber could go under the radar due to those four and be the most productive, certainly a price. The gelding is just about the best bred here and may be looking at a strong four-year-old season.

Bettorever, in the second split, would be on the H2W list for the second time if he wasn’t here. He has been steaming at Yonkers but may not be the public choice here, as he is one of three in for Burke. Regal Babe is down from Canada and very much raring to go for this series, having rested during the final weeks of Woodbine.  

Pocono Power

Saturday’s Bobby Weiss Series final will have Major Uptrend looking for a sweep off victories in two preliminary rounds at Pocono. Major Uptrend, a 4-year-old, won the first over YS Lotus, who has posted two wins in the series, and the second over Victory At Last (also from the Burke barn), both taking “Uptrend” on again in the final for trainer Ron Burke. Also in for the fight are Shadow Margeaux, Kolt Power, Vance Bayama, Weapons Dealer and Coaster.

A fourth contender that may slip from the public’s pocketbook is Vance Bayama. He has been sharp, racing well elsewhere against top foes this season, and has earned well for the Rene Allard’s stable. He is in a perfect spot to work around the top choices and perhaps use that speedy passing lane late for the upset.

Levy Chapter V

Three Levys, all in a row, top the April 18 Yonkers program. Episode one will shape up with the most support for Polak A, one of the series’ division stars, going two for three, his only for the season. Our choice last week, Heez Orl Black N, the highest paying winner of the series, gets post 1 but still may try to win again as he did last week—off of questionable speed. This week, that includes Dancin Yankee and Warrawee Needy, the later who scratched last week. But Mach It So has post 4 and every reason to gun early and try to steal it on the top. He went a heck of a mile wide last week at 5-2. We think he will far more than that here and that would be the real steal. 

PH Supercam is back and does not look to be in deep with the other six. No one would blame anyone wanting to pass this division. What’s more, the exotic possibilities are impossible to make into good cases since second and third here is about as unpredictable as an army in a wooden horse.

The nightcap of divisions for this year’s Levy will have a strong favorite with Take It Back Terry, Burke’s last hope since he sent Foiled Again packing from the series. If he will be beaten here it will probably be late with whichever horse can find the suck-a-long trip behind him. That may be Domethatagain, the second-highest paying winner of a division in the series. There should be a decent odds offering there, as Fat Mans Alley will take some from “Terry” for his higher-than-expected profile in the series.

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
4/17/15, +The Mexican ae R9
4/18/15, Southwind Whiski R4; Kennairn Buckwheat R4; Tymal Touch R7; Arts Delight R12
 
Cal Expo
4/18/15, +Stretch Artist R8
4/19/15, +Tour Guide R6

Flamboro
4/16/15, +Artistic Cruiser R5

Freehold
4/18/15, JC Kingdom R2; +Go Both Ways R6; Momma Artist R8

Hoosier
4/16/15, +Durant R2
4/17/15, Window Wiper R2; Always Dee One R5; +Ajuama R9
4/18/15, +Vc Scooter R8

Maywood
4/16/15, +Diamond Brady R8
4/17/18, Cantholdmebackmack R10

Meadowlands
4/17/15, +Jewels In Hock R4; Coffee Addict R7; +Lauderdale R9
4/18/15, Doo Wop Hanover R6

Meadows
4/17/15, Exhibitionist R2; +Dew It Again R4; +Jinxys Delight R10; +Gypsy Cards R12

Miami
4/16/15, Caught Me Speeding R1; +Gottawalktheline R2; Jds First Lady R6
 
Monticello
4/20/15,  +Only On Broadway R6
 
Northfield
4/16/15, Countless Gold R3; +Power Everywhere R4 

Northville
4/18/15, +Regal Style R3; Soap Suds R8; +Prvo R11; Lord Race R12
 
Philadelphia
4/17/15, +My Secret Scooter R12; +Cocktail Attire R14
4/19/15, +Mojita Hanover R3; +Della Cruise R12; +Double Dribble R14

Pocono
4/18/15, +Steuben Patriot R2
4/19/15, Afaceinthecrowd R10

Pompano
4/18/15, Four Star Kyle R1
 
Rosecroft
4/18/15, +Rascam Cyndee R2
 
Saratoga
4/16/15, Twist Of Faith R2
4/17/15, The Lindy Treaty R12
 
Scarborough
4/18/15, Puzzlement R2; Mr Nice Guy R10
4/19/15, +Sweet Jon R7

Vernon
4/17/15, Escada De Vie R1;  +Twice Too Nice R2;
4/18/15, +Dreamin Of Teri R5

Yonkers
4/17/15, Anndrovette R7
4/18/15, +Big N Bad R9; +Validus Deo R10

Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.