Man have I been busy. Since I last posted I’ve changed jobs twice and moved from one residence to another. It is also my busiest time of the year at work. On top of those things, as you may have noticed prior to this break, my thoughts and attitude about the sport of horse racing had soured a bit.
Hopefully you have been keeping tabs on the action with both breeds and other interesting developments at Pull the Pocket and The Aspiring Horseplayer.
A lot has happened since April 28th …
So I followed up my visit to Delaware Park for their season opener with a Sunday afternoon at Chester Downs for the opener there. Apparently it was John Campbell and Tim Tetrick day as they combined to win 8 of the 13 races. What a great card it was too, plenty of upper level conditioned races as well as the Open and the Betsy Ross series for Free For All filly and mare pacers. The Betsy Ross was headed by the likes of Southwind Tempo, Stylish Solution, My LIttle Dragon, Symphony In Motion, Street Dancer and Darlins Delight.
Last night was the opener of the Su Mac Lad series for Free For All trotters at the Big M. A stellar field lined up including world record holders Giant Diablo and Enough Talk. The solid field was rounded out by the likes of Green Day, Father Foley trotting series hero Swan Image and the ultra consistent American Lane.
In the end, it was Enough Talk showing that his world record setting effort at Dover was no fluke, he won by 3/4 of a length and paid $13.00. Swan Image was 2nd followed by San Remo Kosmos.
Here is the video:
What a nice pacing filly she is. Wednesday night she extended her streak to 12 in a row by winning The Blossom final at the Meadowlands. She also has captured the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund final and the Tender Loving Care final this year. She has yet to be defeated and most of her wins are of easy and measured type. She can win cutting the mile, she can brush to the lead or she can grind out it first over. She has won at atleast 3 different venues and for atleast 3 different drivers.
Here is the video of her DSBF Final, in which she took her lifetime mark of 1.51.2 and won by 8.5L.
Here is the video of her Blossom Final win, in 1.53.0.
So what did we learn this week? I expanded the period to week, from weekend, since Keeneland has good weekday racing and some important harness racing took place Monday to Thursday.
Well …
All big stories tonight in the harness racing world. Lets start off at Yonkers, discussing the card they are presenting which features the opening leg of the Levy Memorial for open pacers. Than we will head over to the Big M, were Manhardt will try to get some better cover and storm home in the winners over pace. Even Woodbine gets in on the action featuring their open pacers in the Spring Pacing Championship.
I’ve been pretty busy this week so didn’t get here to update much. Rather slow weekend of racing in my opinion. Turfway offers a nice card, but I can’t get excited about synthetic race tracks nor can I listen to Mike “the Mouth” Battaglia call 12 races. I do like Adriano in the Lane’s End.
When does Keeneland open?
Southwind Tempo romped in the Overbid final last night at the Meadowlands. She is looking quite awesome. Tonights winner over pace is star studded with Maltese Artist, Special Report, Manhardt and Mr. Feelgood who has won both of the big pacing series for Free For All pacers this year.
Race 3 at Woodbine tonight. #7 New Dice Please jogs in 153.x. His last two, he had trotted opening 1/4 miles in 27.2 and 28.3 and 1/2 miles in 56.3 and 58.0. He finished those two races in 1.58.0 and 1.57.3.
Well tonight, after a barn switch to Anthony Montini, he gets hammered to 6-5. Obviously live on the board after dropping anchor in his last two. He than proceeds to trot the opening 1/4 in 27.0 and the half in an eye popping 55.3 and draws off to win by 15 in 153.x. He gained over 5 seconds on his two previous efforts. #4 Sundowner Bob who had faced and defeated New Dice Please by 6 lengths in their last starts, was defeated by almost 20 lengths here. A 5 second and a 20 length turn around with the barn switch.
And you want to attract new fans do you? Explain that to the young guy who is new to the game but went out to the track or turf club with his buddies.
It seems the hot topic of recent nights at harnessdriving.com has been the driving, or lack there of at Woodbine. It is something I picked up on pretty quickly a few weeks ago when I started paying more attention to the good harness racing in the north. The drivers just seem to be completely content to ride around in single file until they reach the top of the stretch and than they hope the horses up front come back, which rarely happens. It makes for some boring racing and questions about the drivers intentions.
Than I turn my Harness Eye over to the Meadowlands and see names like Ledford and Rucker still doing whatever it is they do and I begin to question my sanity.
Rudy Rednose, a 3 year old of interest runs tonight at the Big M. He has been discussed over at Pull the Pocket as a contender for the North America Cup. I’m not sure how he fits with those types exactly, but he has been awesome thus far this winter against conditioned types.
So, perhaps take a second to watch the 4th at the Meadowlands tonight.
A racing fans version of Monday, the return of Etude & random thoughts …
March 12, 2008That is how I feel about Wednesdays. In three days, the big stakes races of the weekend will take place. This week, topping that list and getting the most attention is the Tampa Bay Derby which will feature War Pass. I read tonight that he may only face 3 rivals, which will probably leave him lone speed again. You would think with graded earnings as important as they are this time of year that you could get 6 or 7 together to battle for the balance, guess not.
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Tags:Commentator, Daheer, Etude, Indian Blessing, Play of the Day, Proud Spell, Pyro, Tampa Bay Derby, Tampa Bay Downs, The Meadowlands, Visionaire, War Pass
Posted in Handicapping, Harness Racing, Misc., Thoroughbred Racing | No Comments »