Yonkers Trot Elims And Messenger Prelim On Tap; Canadian Pacing Derby’s Dual Duels; Hoosier State Finals Line Up

The second half of the 2017 season is a mixed bag of divisions with large wads of purses for sires- and feature-stakes. We are on top of the betting opportunities for most of these feature events this weekend on the main blog and on the TwinSpires-exclusive blog—the Breeders Crown Countdown (BCC). The BCC episode this week covers two divisions with Grand Circuit events at Mohawk.

The popular H2W (the horses-to-watch) list returns with suggested contenders that spice up all betting pools. Do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections when playing your bets. Of course, remember to be fully armed with a plentiful TwinSpires betting account.

Check it out along with all of the North America harness action covered below.

PHILLY FILLIES
 
Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) for frosh-filly pacers hold three splits at Philly on Aug. 24, each worth $52,000 plus. Seven young gals go in round one, each of them sporting a handful of starts, though three are maidens.

Only three sires represent the field and one is expected to go off at a strong price. With only one win in seven starts, Yankee Will Dance should not be penalized for post or a lack of wins. She has picked up checks for seconds, which is better than a few here that have not even won.

Three sires represent the seven-filly field in PASS round two as well. The first two posts are bound to take most of the win money but that’s fine because it should make for a great price on our contender, Sarpa Hanover, who should play a major role in all types of wagers here.

The last of the PASS trio has seven, five by Somebeachsomewhere, the sire that is flooding the frosh fields with progeny. But the volume is deceiving in the stats department, leaving some options for smart-money bets in a field where the sire dominates. In this case, a Bettor’s Delight filly, Aims Whisper, gets our attention with two wins and places and a bunch of cash already earned for trainer Kevin Lare.

INDIANA FRAYS

Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) action has reached some final fields. On Aug. 24 two finals go at Hoosier Park. Soph-colt trotters go first (each final is worth $75,000. Ten line up, in a competitive group that may find Mystical Motor offering more than one would expect. Eleven for 17 in the money is nothing to dismiss in a field that may share the pools with the imbalance of one big favorite.

Ten frosh-colt pacers are up next, well represented by a top Indiana sire, Rockin Image. There is, though, a green colt by Shadyshark Hanover, whose averages for freshmen have been very good. This is Brysen and he could be overlooked for a Ron Burke-trained colt that is the top earner here this season but probably won’t be worth it due to strong public support.

Friday, Aug. 25, another INSS final is features, this for soph-colt pacers, worth $75,000. Modern Reflection may not receive the respect he deserves in the win pool. Burke’s entry will get extra play due to fan worship of driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., so our contender’s odds may be better than his chances.

EMPIRE ENTRIES

New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) for frosh-colt pacers are featured at Yonkers on Friday, Aug. 25 with three miles, each worth $53,000. Our profitable sire favorite on the New York circuit, Roll With Joe, has a bunch of sons in these fields. In round one he offers four of the seven racing. Three of the quartet is bound to make up the top choices for bettors, so we look for the fourth, Delightful Joe, to take his maiden win at a price.

In the second split there are two Roll With Joe colts and one of them, Silver Arrow, too, could leave maiden status fighting against six others, his brightest foe being the other “Joe,” colt, managed by Burke and bound to get support.

With only one Joe in the third split, let’s maintain our support for his pacing youngsters and look for a price supporting Mr Profeta (already a two-time winner) against six others that will compete for major support.

DOUBLE TRIPLE ELIMS/ MESSENGER

At Yonkers on Saturday, Aug. 26, trotting and pacing triple-crown legs are in the focus with two elims on the program for the Yonkers Trot and a single for the Messenger Pace. According to track PR head Frank Drucker, the 62nd Messenger Stakes, second jewel for the pacing crown, attracted nine glamour boys. “This presents another edition of musical chairs,” says Drucker, “with all going in a forty-thousand dollar elimination to get the octet for the $500,000 final.”

Missing are Fear The Dragon and Huntsville, the latter that won the first-jewel Cane Pace (“Fear” did not attend). Present is Downbytheseaside, who has earned his place among the top 10 in the division with his strong efforts at Yonkers. Also on hand are Art Scene, Mac’s Jackpot, Summer Side (the Ray Schnittker pacer that races on half-mile tracks), Blood Line, Henry the Dragon, Miso Fast, Funknwaffles and Beyond Delight.

Because Mac’s Jackpot and Beyond Delight are coupled, as are Downbytheseaside and Blood Line, there will be less betting entities. The latter pair should dominate the win pools and it is a bettor’s judgment if there is any cause for playing against Downbytheseaside, unless he is used as a key in exotics. If there is a win upset it will be big and it may be Miso Fast but only if Summer Side takes out Downbytheseaside with a grueling duel that burns the first three quarters. Make a not of that and move onto the trotters.

DOUBLE TRIPLE ELIMS/ YONKERS TROT

The pair of Yonkers Trot elims ($40,000 each) was created due to a dozen dropping into the box. However, two of them that aren’t showing up are the Hambletonian winner and the Hambletonian winner-by-disqualification—Perfect Spirit and What The Hill.

Six glamour-boy trotters go in each, with recent division upset winner Yes Mickey in round one. Enterprise, who was all out to win a Hambo elim, is also in it, along with Another Chapter, Southwind Cobra, Andy M and our choice, Devious Man. He has been superb this season and although he did not make Hambo history he cannot be faulted otherwise. Here, with a lot of speed striking early, Devious Man could swing around and capture the field late and at a price, which usually accompanies his wins.

With Money Macintosh and Top Flight Angel coupled in the second match, there are only four others available for the win bet. Guardian Angel AS is the only Hambo participant involved and should be the main danger here. He won his next race after the August classic and finds himself with a huge class edge against these, including the entry, Di Oggi, New Jersey Viking and Southwind Hydro. He may, however, be a big favorite, fooling no one about the classy company he has recently kept.

DERBY PACERS

Saturday, Aug. 26, older pacers are heading north to Mohawk for two elims ($40,000 each) that may qualify them for the Canadian Pacing Derby Final. The big card (see Breeders Crown Countdown for more events) includes these thunderous fields in a division where almost anything can happen.

Last week, Dealt A Winner handed bettors a huge-paying win against All Bets Off, who is here with him again in elim one. Wakizashi Hanover was in that field and was the favorite, finishing off the board. He is here seeking a better trip. Keystone Velocity returns against the ilk he has taken a few times and he could be the favorite. “Dealt” will offer a price less than his win score but still should be pricey enough to support because he could get a similar cover trip that secures a minor upset.

Elim two brings back Rockin Ron, well bet at Tioga last week, Check Six, two-time longshot, Mcwicked, Canadian-star Sintra (bound to be the choice), Mach It So (another disrupter),  Lyons Snyder (upset chief) and Shamballa. This is a good spot for Lyons Snyder to take advantage of some dwindling speed. Sintra should be challenged and could be tired from it all in late stretch, allowing for Lyons Snyder to take advantage of a sheltered trip that allows him to explode for the win.



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

Batavia
8/25/17, AFF Bigdaddy R4

Century
8/26/17, +Paperback Thriller R2; +Dream N Of Mona R7

Charlottetown
8/25/17, +Silverhill Buddy

Hawthorne
8/26/17, +Master Of Excuses R9

Hoosier
8/25/17, Big John Houn R4; Pacific Image R5

Meadows
8/26/17, Caviart Ally R9; +Idyllic Beach R10

Monticello
8/24/17, We Never Getacolt R3; Eye Candy R7; Thesharksbackintown R7

Ocean
8/24/17, Pacific Escape R4
8/27/17, +Wayward R5; +Timtron Hanover R8

Plainridge
8/25/17, +Tumblin Dice R7

Pocono
8/26/17, Maxi Bon R4; Bruces Magic R10; Oneisalonelynumber R12

Red Mile
8/24/17, Summer Deo R5
8/26/17, +Top Expectations R5; +Garnet R7; +Cordoba Hall R8; +Raileegotaholdonme R8; +Sunset Drifter R11

Rideau-Carleton
8/24/17, +Katie Nana R1

Running Aces
8/26/17, +Spectre Of A Gun R1; Riproy R2; So Raven R4

Saratoga
8/26/17, +Shanghai Kang R1; Aukland Flyer R6

Scarborough
8/26/17, +Sweetchildofmine R8
8/27/17, +Artzuma R4

Scioto
8/24/17, +Zepplin Bi R5
8/25/17, Bad Bad Arcster R3

Yonkers
8/24/17, Cherry Bliss R3; Talldarknhandsome R8
8/26/17, +Chevals Clivedale R4
8/27/17, +Red Hot Herbie R4