This weekend is the biggest weekend of the harness racing
calender, as the best horses in the world visit the Meadowlands to race in the
top stakes events of the year. The Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks, Duenna,
U.S. Pacing Championship, Woodrow Wilson, Lady Liberty, Sweetheart, New Jersey
Classic, Miss New Jersey, Merrie Annabelle and Peter Haughton add up to nearly
$5-million in stakes purses on the 15 race card.
Race 1
$30,000 DUENNA 3YOFT
Picks: 8/10/2
(8) Riverfest- Coming off a good third place effort against
Win Missy B, a Hambletonian Oaks finalist, in the Reynolds on July 6. She is
coming off a short layoff and should be sharp and flat today.
(10) Oasis Dream- I’m not psyched about post 10, but this is
a talented filly. She defeated Superstar Hanover in the Pennsylvania Sires
Stakes and with her strong gate kick, she should get away in the top five and
get a great, ground saving trip to sum out the exacta.
(2) Talbotcreek Jewely- She raced very well against
conditioned trotters, getting caught wide early, clearing the top, getting
shuffled and closing for second. If she wasn’t ready to take on these gals, she
wouldn’t even be entered against this group.
Race 2
$253,700 LADY LIBERTY FFA MARE PACE
Picks: 6/1/5
(6) Rocklamation- She will likely be underbet since names
like Drop The Ball and Put On A Show dropped into the box. Rocklamation paced
first over late and cleared, but then was surpassed by Anndrovette into the
stretch. She should be sharp and ready to pace today.
(1) Anndrovette- She was drastically under bet in the Roses
Are Red, where she took the field wire-to-wire at 13-1. She won’t be that big
of a price this week, but should get a good spot and come closing late.
(5) Put On A Show regained a lot of ground in the Roses Are
Red, but finished a disappointing fourth as the favorite. She will have to get
a good spot early, then take over around three-quarters to have a chance to
finish in the top three.
Race 3
$30,000 DUENNA 3YOFT
Picks: 9/6/1
(9) Bluff- She is coming off a tough mile against this group
in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes at Pocono. She’ll have to get away second or
third and hold that position until the top of the stretch, where she should pop
the pocket and trot right on by.
(6) D’orsay- She is returning after a disappointing effort
in the Hambletonian Oaks eliminations. But, she was runner up to Win Missy B in
the Reynolds three starts back. Since she is going up against weaker, she
should be fairly under bet from her unappealing starts and finish in the top
three, blowing up the exotics.
(1) Starglow Hall- Call me crazy but this horse showed she
was very live last week, going three wide into the first turn and was caught
wide for the rest of the mile. She draws post 1 this week and may be able to
get a pocket trip and finish in the trifecta.
Race 4
$125,000 SBOA MISS NEW JERSEY 3YOFP
Picks: 3/10/5
(3) Air Guitar Hanover- She seems to have gotten her groove
back as she finished third at 37-1 in the elimination. From post 10, she got
away sixth and regained about 7 lengths in the mile. She should get off the
gate and get a spot in the top three and she should come out of the pocket and
close to win.
(10) Pirouette Hanover- Even though she was not given the
luck of the draw, she should be able to coupe. She got away fairly slow at the
beginning and regained 10 lengths to finish fifth as the favorite. The
Sweetheart champion should be able to leave fast, get a good spot and come out
late.
(5) Notreadytobenice- She is in the same situation as
Pirouette Hanover, except she has a better post. She left the gate last and
gained 12 lengths to finish sixth. She’ll have to get away mid-pack and not go
first over so she’ll have that late kick for the final 3/16ths.
Race 5
$268,300 SWEETHEART 2YOFP
Picks: 10/8/4
(10) Shebestingin- She is the best in the field, but will be
ignored from her post. Remember though, last year Pirouette Hanover won the
Sweetheart from post 10. She is improving in every start and will finally let
the beast inside of her be unleashed.
(8) Jerseylicious- She has finished second to Shebestingin
in her first two starts, clearing the lead in one and getting a pocket trip the
next. She too is an under rated freshman gal that will be unleashed today and
show us how well she can pace against this bunch.
(4) Cult Status- She lost to Morning Line favorite Nikki
Beach by only a length in the prep as Cult Status closed from fifth to just
come up short in the end. She should get started a little earlier and blow up
into the stretch.
Race 6
$309,050 WOODROW WILSON 2YOP
Picks: 6/9/2
(6) Rocky Mountain Guy- He will most likely take advantage
of this bunch as I see a speed duel. Captaintreacherous and Muscle Beachboy
will likely duel for the top and Rocky Mountain Guy will be in the pocket. The
two will burn out into the stretch and ‘Rocky’ will climb up the victory stairs
as he is romping in the stretch.
(9) Source Of Pride- This closing colt should have his
‘groove’ back after qualifying in 1:54.1. He’ll likely be sitting off the pace
and come storming down the middle of the track down the stretch.
(2) Martini Hanover- It took him awhile to find his rally
into the stretch last time. Chances are, he’ll be coming late to finish third.
Race 7
$354,450 MERRIE ANNABELLE 2YOFT
Picks: 4/8/3
(4) To Dream On- She reminds me of Poof She’s Gone and Check
Me Out as 2yo, where they romped in the Merrie Annabelle. To Dream On won by 10
lengths in her elimination and if she is 1-1 or higher, she’ll be an overlay.
(8) Royal Assets- She is a strong front running filly. If
she can hold off a challenge, she may have a chance or may just give way to
Raring To Go S and To Dream On.
(3) Raring To Go S- She won the other elimination of the
Merrie Annabelle, but she wasn’t the favorite. She won at 7-1 in 1:55.4. She’ll
need to pull that same move, get a pocket trip then come late.
Race 8
$387,250 PETER HAUGHTON MEMORIAL 2YOCT
Picks: 2/3/4
(2) Dewycolorintheline- He won his elimination going a tough
first over and won it by a length. He is one tough colt following the same path
as his dad, Deweycheetumnhowe. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t first or second.
(3) Corky- The only threat to Major Athens in his
elimination, where he was closing late, but lost by half a length. Today, he
should get away in the front, get a pocket trip and start closing into the
stretch.
(4) Aperfectyankee- The one fault in the Yankee Glides are
that they can break sometimes. That’s exactly what this guy did, but trotted an
amazing recovery to finish fourth. If he gets away mid-pack, his late rally
will be very useful when they turn for home.
Race 9
$50,000 VINCENNES INVITATIONAL TROT
Picks: 8/3/10
(8) Likeabatouthell- Seems to have come back after his last
start, where he closed from last to finish third in the Invitational at 43-1.
If he gets a good spot, second or third over and comes wide into the stretch,
he’ll stride home.
(3) Zooming- Trotted a hell of a mile at Pocono last time,
going first over for most of the mile and won. He won’t be bet as much as he
should be, so make sure you watch his price.
(10) Swan In A Million- He has won the last three out of
four races. He can trot first over, second over, third over, so it’s not a
matter of I knowing what he’ll do, but more along the lines of seeing it and
knowing that they have a plan.
Race 10
$250,000 NAT RAY INVITATIONAL TROT
Picks: 5/3/4
(5) Mister Herbie- He is the best trotter in the division.
He generally closes and there is a lot of speed in this race, so he’ll likely take
advantage of that.
(3) Sevruga- The only reason he lost to Anders Bluestone
last time was because of the post. This week, he draws a better position and
should still be at the top of his game.
(4) Chapter Seven- The only rivals he has in here are Mister
Herbie and Sevruga, since they can close well. ‘Chapter’ will have to either
get a pocket trip or not duel for the front to win.
Race 11
$714,050 87TH EDITION OF THE HAMBLETONIAN OAKS
3YOFT
Picks: 3/2/5
(3) Maven- The only horse in this race that has come
remotely close to beating Check Me Out. She has not lost the fight inside of
her and this is intending to be a two horse race.
(2) Check Me Out- The obvious choice. She is 20 for 23 and
following the path of Moni Maker. If she gives Maven a pocket trip, it will be
a tough stretch battle like it was in the Elegant Image.
(5) Uncommon Night- She knows how to get through traffic.
She is improving with every start and should get away mid-pack. With that late
rally of hers, she’ll likely finishin the trifecta.
Race 12
$1,500,000 87TH EDITION OF THE HAMBLETONIAN
3YOT
Picks: 6/1/8
(6) Prestidigitator- He is the best trotter in this field.
If he didn’t get that horrible trip he did in his elimination, he may have beat
Uncle Peter. R. Dustin Jones also trained Martiniontherocks, who went
wire-to-wire in the Breeders Crown in 2010. I see Prestidigitator pulling the
same move, but getting away fourth or fifth. With a spot like that, he’ll save
ground and get a chance to close into the stretch.
(1) Uncle Peter- He is definitely a factor to the
Hambletonian equation. This tough sophomore made two moves in his elimination
and came out victorious. Pierce will likely either take the lead or sit second
and let the race set up from there. But I’m seeing they’ll do the same thing as
they did with Muscle Massive two years ago.
(8) Stormin Normand- He is still the talented three-year-old
trotter that everyone watched in awe almost beat Googoo Gaagaa in the Beal. The
only reason he almost didn’t make the final was that he trotted a tough first
over trip versus Riccolo, a fast, front end trotter. He should get away
mid-pack and get into the cover flow. Then, he’ll come closing late and will
blow up this trifecta.
Race 13
$242,500 U.S. PACING CHAMPIONSHIP FFA PACE
Picks: 4/12/5
(4) Aracache Hanover- Remember last year, when he almost
beat We Will See in the U.S. Pacing Championship? Well, it will happen this
year as ‘Aracache’ has matured over the last few months. If he doesn’t win
this, I’d be shocked.
(12) Foiled Again- He just lost the Battle of Lake Erie by
half a length about three weeks ago. Before that, he just lost the Des Smith.
This week, I see him finishing second to Aracache to complete a likely large
exacta.
(5) Meirs Hanover- This pacer gets less credit than he
deserves. He always finishes on the board in these kind of races. He should get
a pocket trip and have enough late in the mile.
Race 14
$275,000 SBOA NEW JERSEY CLASSIC 3YOP
Picks: 5/6/7
(5) Hurrikane Kingcole- He is a monster! One week, he’ll
pace a super fast mile, then not the next. It seems though he has gotten his
act together and may explode with speed into the stretch.
(6) Panther Hanover- He usually gets away first or second in
the beginning of the mile. He’ll have to do that if he has any remote chance
against Hurrikane Kingcole.
(7) Simply Business- Raced unusual than he normally does
last week. He took the lead instead of coming from off the pace. If he gets
away third or tries to close, he should finish in the trifecta.
Race 15
$22,000 NW $16,000 L5CD
Picks: 10/1/3
(10) Malak Uswaad N- He has shown so much talent in his
first four U.S. starts. He has won all of them! He steps down and will be a
great value from post 10.
(1) Great Vintage- He worked hard to get the lead last week,
which made him burn out. With the rail, he should get away first or second and
have something left in the stretch.
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