ADVANCE WAGERING AVAILABLE FOR YONKERS TROT, MESSENGER

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Thursday, August 31, 2017—With the permission of the New York State Gaming Commission, advance wagering shall be offered Friday (Sept. 1^st) for Yonkers Raceway’s pair of Saturday night (Sept. 2^nd) $500,000 Triple Crown events.

The 63^rd Yonkers Trot, with a nine-horse field for the first time since 2000, goes as the fifth race (approximate post time 8:47 PM), a race after the 62^nd Messenger Stakes (approx.. post 8:22 PM).

First post for the dozen-race card is the usual 7:10 PM. Total purses of the program are just under $1.5 million. 

MEADOWLANDS SEEKS FEEDBACK FROM HORSEPLAYERS

Interested fans can reply to survey question on Meadowlands website

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (August 31, 2017) – The Meadowlands is seeking horseplayer input on potentially moving the Early Pick Four wager to a 1-dollar minimum instead of its current 50-cent base.

Fans and horseplayers can share their opinion via the Meadowlands website.

The Early and Late Pick Four wagers are 50-cent minimum wagers, but there has been growing discussion of potentially shifting the Early Pick Four to a 1-dollar minimum. Both wagers will continue to carry 15-percent takeout rates.

For more information, visit www.playmeadowlands.com.

GSY Driving Club Press Release

For Friday, September 8 two separate classes have been written on The Meadowlands condition sheet.

There is an "Open to all amateur drivers" division that requires horses to fit:

Non Winners of $7,500 in Last 5 Starts. W/O $1,750 per start in 2017 or in 2016/2017 if less than 8 starts in 2017. Optional Claiming $17,500 

There is also a "Senior" division with the following race conditions: Drivers must be 50 or older on race day 

Horses:  N/W $6,000 in Last 5 Starts. W/O $1,500 p/s in 2017 or in 2016/17 if less than 8 starts in 2017 Optional Claiming $15K

Drivers 65 or older – AE:  horses who raced for a claiming price of $15K or less in Last 5 Starts 

Why? 

During the last month of the meet at The Meadowlands GSY Club amateur races did not fill. There were 4 weeks when the club tried to race and could not because members did not enter enough horses to fill a race.

The GSY Club exists to support The Meadowlands which in turn enthusiastically supports amateur racing and amateur races often are among the top betting handles of the night. GSY races go for relatively small purses, and with large handles these races play an important role in sustaining the track. It is no longer a surprise to see $200,000 bet on an amateur race at The Meadowlands, it is the norm.

Meadowlands COO/General Manager Jason Settlemoir said, "Amateur racing at the Meadowlands has been and continues to be an important part of our business plan going forward. With the growing horse shortage these amateur races are needed to fill our weekly races. I have been quite pleased over the last few years how well amateur racing has been wagered upon at the Meadowlands".  

Club members voted with their lack of entries not to race with the club at The Meadowlands despite the venue still being “the mecca” to the GSY membership, offering the highest weekly purses in amateur racing and paying at least 3% of the purse to every horse who starts.  Yes, The Meadowlands offers the highest purses and weekly races for amateurs and the club was unable to fill a race for a month.  Clearly, change was in order.

The vast majority of GSY Club members treat their investment in amateur horses as a hobby, not a business.  These members are employed in other businesses or have retired from careers outside harness racing and only participate for the love of racing, which is the primary purpose of having separate amateur races.  Many, such as the man the beloved, late Sam McKee once called, “perhaps the top amateur driver in the history of harness racing,” Robert Krivelin, have invested millions in harness racing over the last decades.  When reached for comment, Krivelin said, “if you think you’re as good at 70 as you were at 25, then you were not very good at 25.”

Meadowlands Chairman, Jeff Gural said, “In golf and tennis they have senior events.  Why is this different?  Originally this was a fun thing, yet some have made it a business.  With the continued horse shortage having the ability to host two amateur races weekly may be critical.”

The vast majority of club members do not approach amateur racing as a business or career, which is of course a disconnect in every sense of what the word “amateur” means. Many current professional drivers began their careers with brief stints driving in amateur races and it has become convention in sports to have a separate division for participants over a certain age.

Beyond the track, more than $600,000 ($175,000 from the GSY Club alone) has been donated back to the children of professional horsemen via scholarships for continuing education and to other charities from the four largest Amateur Driving Clubs which are the GSY Club, Billings, NAADA and Florida Amateur clubs.  These funds are derived from a combination of the 5% driver commission that all drivers donate, plus membership dues and race entry fees. 

MEADOWLANDS ANNOUNCES WAGERING FORMAT FOR SEPTEMBER HARNESS MEET

Four-day festival begins Friday, September 8

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (August 31, 2017) – Live harness racing returns to Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment for an abbreviated September meeting. The four-day meet begins Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9 and comes back the following Friday and Saturday. Post time for all four nights will be 7:15 p.m.

Horseplayers should take note that there will be a few notable changes to the wagering format.

The pair of Pick Four wagers and the Pick Five will still carry their same low 15 percent takeout rate and occupy their same places on the race card. However, they will not offer their regular guaranteed pool size.

In addition, the 20-cent Jackpot Super High Five will only be offered on the final race of the evening. As usual, if there is no single winning ticket, 25 percent of the net pool will be carried over while 75 percent of the net pool will be paid out to the multiple winning tickets. Should there be no single winning ticket on the final day of the abbreviated meet, the jackpot will be carried to November 4, which is the first day of the Fall/Winter Meet.

Exactas and trifectas will continue to be offered on all races. 10-cent superfectas will be offered on all races with the exception of those that begin the Pick Four wagers and the Pick Five.

For more information, visit www.playmeadowlands.com.

Meadowlands Condition Sheet Available

East Rutherford, NJ- The condition sheet for September 8 & 9 at The Meadowlands is available on the web.

Qualifiers will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, September 1. Enter by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 31.

Further information is available by calling the Racing Office at 201-842-5130.

NAADA BEING ENTERTAINED PRIOR TO FRIENDSHIP COMPETITION WITH HUNGARY

  by Joe Faraldo with John Manzi

Five members of the  North American Amateur Drivers Association are in Budapest, Hungary getting ready to clash with the Hungarian amateurs in a race on Friday, (Sept. 1) and one on Saturday,(Sept. 2)

The team consisting of Joe Faraldo, Alan Schwartz, Peter Kleinhans, Paul Minore and Bob Davis arrived in Budapest on Monday and are the guests of their counterparts and prior to the competition they have been treated to  the wonders and history of Hungary.

Below is from NAADA team leader, Joe Faraldo.

“Buda, the earlier settled  portion of this city established in 1245, was named after Attila the Hun’s brother, and was joined with Pest a town on the other side of the beautiful Danube to become the capitol city of a Budapest. 

“We are not in The Grand Budapest Hotel since it  only exists in the movies. We landed  in the Hotel Budapest safe  and sound on Monday morning. Treated to a welcome dinner  the  first night by the Hungarian’s team leader and an old friend Tamas Keleman.

“Godollo  castle was  the first stop on Tuesday. A detailed  tour was arranged  and our guide  whose knowledge of the castle and history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was exceptional  in every detail, made the tour much more meaningful. After that we were off to The Lazar Equistrian Park which is 35 km from Budapest, in the heart of Domonyvolgy and is owned by the coach driving champions Vilmos and Zoltan Lazar.

“The resort nestles among the picturesque lakes of the Godollo Hills and is home to  the champion carriage horses in Europe. There are two trophy rooms and the Lazar brothers have won enough events to pack those rooms to the ceiling. The obstacle courses these men steer their four charges through  against the clock demands  very high talented driving skills . No wonder the horsemanship demonstrated  there made us feel just a bit inferior as these pros, schooled, no doubt by the brothers,  teamed four at high speeds while perched standing atop two in the second row. At other times riders performed fetes with horses that must have taken years to perfect. Just getting them used to the crack of bull whips above their heads, to sitting them down on their bottoms was amazing.

“The Park also has an excellent restaurant and from there a trip to the “Las Vegas” casino, a stop at the Buda Palace and a nitecap at the Gresham Palace topped off the eve of the all important draw for the Friday and Saturday’s  races in  the Hungarian American Friendship competition.

“In Hungary there are only 500 trotters in the entire country but their industry is hard at work with features surrounding the races. Food trucks, entertainment for kids and adults  and beer, plenty of beer. 

KYSS Sophomore Stakes on Thursday at The Red Mile

Lexington KY – The Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) for 3-year-old trotters and pacers will be raced on Thursday night at The Red Mile.

Each division required a single division all of which will race for a purse of $15,000.

Kentucky based owner / breeder ACL Stuteri along with trainer Anette Lorentzon and driver Elliott Deaton combined to win both the colt and filly divisions of leg one with Almondy AS handling the fillies in a new mark of 1:58.4 while Starlight AS (owned in part by Kjell Johansson) won the colt trot easily in 1:57.2 Both return on Thursday enroute to the $175,000 finals.

Hall of Famer Dave Palone is in town for the evening and will drive the favorite in both pacing races.

In the colt and gelding division, V Power is the returning champ and was a 1:53.3 winner with Palone aboard for the first time on leg one. He’ll leave from outside post seven for his breeder/owner/trainer Donna Gilson-Eferstein this week.

In the filly division Palone picks up the favorite in Al-Mar-Got A Fever who won the faster of the two leg one divisions with a powerful 1:52.2 score. A high speed filly possessing a wicked move when called upon, she'll begin from post five on Thursday for trainer Steve Carter and owners Chuck Grubbs, Neal Kresheck, Joe Whittaker and BRB Racing.

The point standings for the KYSS series thus far may be found on the Kentucky Racing Commission website.

The top overall point earners will contest the $1.75 million finals on Sunday, September 17.

Thursday's Pick-4 on races 7-10 opens with a head-start of $4,055 in carry-over cash on Thursday. If you need a little insight so far as wagering on the card (and who doesn't) check Gabe Prewitt's selections and observations on the web.

BARTLETT EYING A RARE YONKERS FIRST…A TROT WIN

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Wednesday, August 30, 2017—For all the success Jason Bartlett has enjoyed since making Yonkers Raceway his office nearly a decade—and six driving titles—ago, one of the few holes in the resume is a rather chasmic one.

A Yonkers Trot win.

“It’s the signature race and my home track and it’s eluded me,” Bartlett said. “It’s an important race for me personally and I want to win it.

“I’ve had three good chances to win it, but none worked out.”

In 2008 (when ‘sure winner’ Holiday Credit jumped it off with an open-length, late-stretch lead), Velocity Hall “was sitting in the two-hole (behind eventual winner Napoleon) and had plenty of trot. I was deciding whether I should get out and go wide, and he broke (going toward the three-quarters).

“That hurt, because his owner, Tom Dillon, is a good friend of mine from Maine.”

A year later, Broadway Bistro “was very good winning his elimination (first-up), but drew the eight-hole in the final. Even then, I thought he had a chance. Unfortunately, he made a break the second time down the back.”

In 2013, Creampuff Macdaddy “couldn’t have been any smoother in the elimination, but he hit the bike in the first turn of the final and made a break.”

Fast forward to this Saturday night (Sept. 2^nd). Bartlett certainly figures to have a legit shot in the $500,000, 63^rd edition. The open draw has him taking a seat behind Guardian Angel AS from post position No. 4.

The ‘Guardian’ won the second of two, $40,000 elimination races a last weekend, grinding by Money Macintosh late to win by a half-length in 1:56.

            “I like my chances with him,” Bartlett said. “I can’t complain about the draw. I’m in between Devious Man (post position No. 1) and Yes Mickey (other elim winner, post No. 6).”

The 3-year-old statebred son of 2012 Trot winner Archangel, trained by Anette Lorentzon for co-owners ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson, has won seven of his dozen seasonal starts ($138,093), including all four starts here.

This season’s Trot has a bit of a different feel, with nine in the final (first time since 2000) after last week’s dead-heat for fourth (Di Oggi and Southwind Hydro) in the race won by Guardian Angel AS.

            “I can’t speak for anyone else, but the extra horse in the field doesn’t bother me,” Bartlett said. “I just drive my race and go from there.”

The Trot goes as the fifth race (approximate post draw 8:35 PM), with each horse (and driver and early computerized line) racing independently…

1-Devious Man (Andy Miller, 5-2), 2-Di Oggi (Montrell Teague, 10-1), 3-Southwind Cobra (Matt Kakaley, 20-1), 4-Guardian Angel AS (Jason Bartlett, 7-2), 5-Southwind Hydro (Marcus Johansson, 12-1), 6-Yes Mickey (lone $30,000 supplement/lone gelding, Ake Svanstedt, 3-1), 7-Money Macintosh (Jordan Stratton, 12-1), 8-Another Chapter (Dan Dube, 20-1), 9-Top Flight Angel (Brian Sears, 9-1).

Note Top Flight Angel starts from the second tier.

First post for the dozen-race card is the usual 7:10 PM.

FROSH FILLIES IN TUESDAY’S 160G NYSS BECERRA PACE

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, August 29, 2017—Yonkers Raceway Tuesday night (Aug. 29^th) hosted the $160,400 New York Sire Stakes Frank Becerra Pace for 2-year-old fillies.

            A pair of $80,200 divisions comprised the soggy event.

            The opening group was another, odds-on wire job by Hurrikane Shorty (Jason Bartlett, $2.90). Just as she did when these ladies hit town a dozen nights ago, there were no issues. This time, from post position No. 3, she led through intervals of :28, :58.2, 1:27.4 and 1:57.4.

            Bettethangraduate (Matt Kakaley) was a good, two-move second—beaten a length-and-a-quarter—with Ubettergo Go (Mark MacDonald) rallying for third.

For Hurrikane Shorty, a daughter of Art Major trained by Kevin McDermott for co-owners Little E LLC, Jason Settlemoir, Arthur Geiger and David Stolz, it was her fourth win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $11.20, the triple returned $65 and the superfecta (Michelle’s Jazz [Jordan Stratton])  paid $270.50.

“We actually bought this filly off my brother (trainer John McDermott),” Kevin McDermott said. “He did turn down a better offer to sell to me, so I owe him one. She’s just beautiful, no head poles, no murphy blinds and gets around Yonkers very well.”

Tuesday night’s second sire stakes event had Youaremycandygirl (Yannick Gingras, $4.60, part of entry) make amends for her poor performance when last seen locally.

In play from post No. 6 this time around, she took it the distance (:28.3, :58.3, 1:27.2, 1:55.4). Timid 6-5 favorite Alexis Faith (Jim Morrill Jr.), 5-for-5 coming in, chased first-up from fourth. She did get into the second but could not sniff the winner as second choice ‘Candygirl’ widened to 3½ lengths at the wire, Azreal as it Gets (Brian Sears) was third.

For Youaremycandygirl, an American Ideal miss owned by W J Donovan and trained by Ron Burke, she’s now 3-for-5 this season. The exacta paid $22.40, with the triple returning $64.50.

“Last time (tiring fifth in NYSS here), she came back sick and her blood was no good,” Gingras said. “I think she’s going to be a serious filly.”

YONKERS TROT, MESSENGER SATURDAY INCLUDES T-SHIRT, FREE WAGER

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, August 29, 2017—It would not be a Yonkers Raceway stakes program without the freebie...or freebies.

Saturday night’s (Sept. 2^nd) dozen-race card, worth just under $1.5 million, is highlighted by a pair of half-million-dollar Triple Crown numbers, the 63^rd Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes No. 62.

If that’s that not enough, there’s the fashionable T-shirt giveaway and a free wager.

The first 3,000 Empire Club members can stop by the promotions booth beginning at 4 PM to pick up their shirts (again, it’s while supplies last and one per member, please). The first 500 EC members who visit the booth starting at 4 PM also receive a pre-printed, Yonkers Trot, two-horse, $2 exacta box ticket.

The Messenger and Yonkers Trot go as races 4 and 5, respectively. First post is the usual 7:10 PM.

NINE INTO FINAL OF 63RD YONKERS TROT; ‘SEASIDE’ LANDS 7-HOLE OF MESSENGER NO. 62

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Monday, August 28, 2017—Faced with a scenario for which there was no rule in place, Saturday night’s $500,000 final (Sept. 2^nd) of  Yonkers Raceway’s 63^rd Yonkers Trot shall go postward with a field of nine 3-year-olds.

The odd circumstance came about after Di Oggi and Southwind Hydro finished in a dead-heat for fourth in the second of last weekend’s two elimination races. Since the first four trotters in each earn berths into the final and Yonkers Trot conditions did not allow for ‘heaters’ to determine finalists, Raceway management decided to permit both horses into the race.

(Author’s aside…provisions for such future instances shall be addressed when the race conditions are amended to separate ‘by lot’ when  necessary.)   

That said, elimination (purse $40,000 each) winners Guardian Angel AS (Jason Bartlett) and Yes Mickey (Ake Svanstedt) drew post position Nos. 4 and 6, respectively. The Trot, second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, goes as the fifth race (approx.. post time 8:35 PM).  

The draw, with each horse racing independently, is as such…

1-Devious Man (Andy Miller), 2-Di Oggi (Montrell Teague), 3-Southwind Cobra (Matt Kakaley), 4-Guardian Angel AS (Jason Bartlett), 5-Southwind Hydro (Marcus Johansson), 6-Yes Mickey (lone gelding, Ake Svanstedt), 7-Money Macintosh (Jordan Stratton), 8-Another Chapter (Dan Dube), 9-Top Flight Angel (Brian Sears, second tier).

The 62^nd Messenger (race No. 4, approx.. post 8:15 PM) had not such “sponsor’s exception” issues after Art Rooney Pace winner Downbytheseaside matched the fastest local pacing mile of the season (1:51). He won last Saturday’s (Aug. 26^th) lone $40,000 elim by 8½ unasked lengths.

He does, however, have to negotiate post No. 7 in this Saturday night’s half-million-dollar second jewel of the Pacing Crown, also for 3-year-olds.

That eight-on-the-gate draw played out this way…1-Mac’s Jackpot (g) (Bartlett), 2-Summer Side (Tim Tetrick), 3-Miso Fast (Kakaley), 4-Art Scene (Stratton), 5-Funknwaffles (g) (Corey Callahan), 6-Blood Line (Mark MacDonald), 7-Downbytheseaside (Sears), 8--Henry the Dragon (Teague).  As with the Trot, all entrants race uncoupled.

The ladies’ companion events, for soph lasses, are the one-dash-for-the-cash $119,010 Hudson Filly Trot and $113,880 Lady Maud Pace

The Hudson goes as the third race (approx. post 7:55 PM)… 1-Dangle Then Deke (Eric Goodell), 2-Chapter Too (Jeff Gregory), 3-Lexie Marie (George Brennan), 4-Celebrity Ruth (Bartlett), 5-Mamora Bay (Sam Schillaci), 6-Sunshine Delight (Brettt Miller), 7-Evelyn (Andy Miller), 8-Ice Attraction (Svanstedt).

The Maud wraps the stakes portion as the sixth race (approx.. post 8:55 PM)…1-Angel’s Pride (Kakaley), 2-Tori Hanover (MacDonald), 3-Awash (Stratton), 4-Gurl Band K (Yannick Gingras),6- Ella Christina (Tetrick), 6-Robin J (Bartlett), 7-World Apart (Bartlett also listed).

Program changes shall be made Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 29^th). Post time for the dozen-race card is the usual 7:10 PM.    

-30-

By: Shawn Wiles

With school, almost in session, the local stock of caulk was in short supply as 5 of the 6 Sire Stake events where won by favorites at Monticello Raceway on Monday afternoon August 28.  Horse’s on the front end, won 9 of the cards 10 races on a chilly afternoon with temperatures only in the mid 60’s with a strong intermittent back side wind.

The first division of Sire Stakes, a 6-horse field went for a purse of $39,200, the race unfolded as anticipated, which saw the heavy favorite In A Single Bound, a winner of 4 NYSS events already this year, carve out fractions of 27.4, 56:3, 1:25.1 in a wire to wire effort to score well in hand in 1:53.2 by 2 lengths, Cultural Paradise (Scott Zeron) was 2^nd followed by Americas Fleet (Marcus Miller). 

The gelded son of Roll With Joe – Armbro Bianca earned his 9^th victory of the year for owners Dennis and Simone Noud of Saratoga Springs NY, he was steered to victory by regular Billy Dobson and trainer Monica Krist.  The win upped his seasonal earnings to over $155,000 and remains the leading point earner in his category.

Benji’s Best, starting from the rail was making his 1^st start since his Empire Breeders Classic consolation win on August 20 at Tioga Downs.  Matt Kakaley, who has enjoyed an excellent Sire Stakes meet at Monticello Raceway this summer got the driving assignment when Dave Miller/Heavens Gait were a late scratch.  Kakaley rated Benji’s Best to the 1/4 in of 28.1, Outcast Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) who made a brief bobble in the first turn, had regained his composure and was parked 4^th at the half, as the field past that marker in 57.0 Outcast Blue Chip was still parked at the ¾ marker in 1:25.3 as he continued the overland route as Benji’s Best continued to show the way.  

At the apex of the last turn, Outcast Blue Chip got rough in the rigging and made another break, after gaining his composure, but losing his momentum, he gave Benji’s Best a brief scare at the wire and finished second.  Benji’s Best held him at bay and took the win of 1:53.4, the win gave Benji’s Best back to back wins.  Trainer and co-owner Scott Blackler was on hand for the winner’s circle ceremony, the son of Roll With Joe - Winbak Isabella is owned by Paul Harvey.

The field of 6 for the final division of the last Sire Stake heats of the afternoon was trimmed to 5 starters by the absence of Heavens Gait, who scratched sick.  This left Chip Walther as the new favorite, but to no avail as he made an uncharacteristic break going into the first turn.  As it was for the entire card, the front-end speed held up as Pointomygradson and Scott Zeron lead the field to the quarter mile stanza in 28.2 with 3 lengths on the field and carved the rest of the mile in 57.2 1:25.3 to win complete authority in 1:53.1, LQ 27.3 for the fastest mile of the day and a new lifetime mark. 

Outrajus Blue Chip (Jordan Stratton) was 2^nd followed by What’s Going On (Matt Kakaley) Pointomygradson is a bay gelding by American Ideal – Sangaal, he is trained by Chris Ryder for owners Gold Standard Equine

The Excelsior A class had 2 heats, each racing for a purse of the standard $15,000.  In the first heat saw Sir Pugsley wrestle the lead from Falcons Chance at the ¼ pole in 27.4.  Sir Pugsley held the lead, to score in 1:54.3 for Jim Morrill’s 1^st win of the card.  It was Sir Pugsley 2^nd consecutive win for owners Mortberg Trust and trainer Donna Marshall. In the final division, the short 5 of five only had win and place wagering. The dominant theme of the day held up as the morning line favorite Steuben Jobee (PP2) went down the road to score a wire to wire win in 1:54.1 for trainer Tracy Brainard, the win was Morrills second on the card.  Howard Taylor owns the son of American Ideal for his 2^nd win in this class, upping his seasonal earnings to almost $29,000.

The lone Excelsior B Division went to the betting favorite, Project Rock who sat the pocket the entire mile behind pace setter Pembroke Joey (Jordan Stratton) and came first over at the ¾ pole to win by a length in 1:56.3 for winning owners Ian Behar and Kristie Leigh Farms.  The son of Roll With Joe -  Endless Project is trained by Ed Hart and was driven by Bruce Aldrich for his 3^rd win of the year.

American Ideal lead all sires with 3 sons entering the winners circle, he was followed by Roll With Joe with 2 winners. NYSS action returns to Monticello Raceway on September 12, when 3 YOFT come to town- 

Meadowlands to Qualify on Friday

East Rutherford, NJ - The Meadowlands will hold qualifying races on Friday, September 1st at 9:30 a.m. in anticipation of the upcoming live racing dates of September 8 & 9 and 15 & 16.

You may enter for the qualifiers by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 31 online or by phone at 201-842-5130.

The condition sheet for September 8 & 9 will be online tomorrow, August 29.

Maccario on Top in Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge

(August 28, 2017) – After three days of competition (8/25-8/27), a familiar name is on top of the standings for the week and year to date in the Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge as Megan Maccario came out in top for the week with 75 points, just 5 points ahead of Ray Cotolo whose 70 points came in one day; having missed the first two days of the week’s competition.  For the fourth week in a row, Maccario sits on top of the standings with 779.23 points, 54 points ahead of Rusty Nash’s 745.20.

Despite not winning a race on Friday night, Maccario came out on top thanks to her selection of Dream Together in the second division of the Casual Breeze as the horse paid $8.60 for second place (no show wagering).  While several handicappers selected the winner of the first division, On A Sunny Day, the payoff was not enough to beat Maccario’s tally.

Saturday there was a three-way dead heat for first place for the day’s races at Mohawk as Russ Adams, Ray Garnett, and Terry Wilson hit the trifecta selecting all three winners for the night’s races; Shadow Moon ($7.90), Percy Bluechip ($2.90), and Pedro Hanover ($5.00) were the winning horses.

Sunday at Tioga Downs, nine stakes races were on the contest sate and a trio of handicappers, Sally Hinckley, Rusty Nash, and Bryan Owen each tabbed five winners but it was Ray Cotolo with four winners who managed to come out ahead as he earned a net profit of $40.10.  While Cotolo had a quartet of winners, it was two second place finishers Frost Damage Blues ($21.60 for place and show) In the Artiscape and Cufflink Hanover ($18.60 place and show) in the Crawford Farms which made the difference.

Standings as of Sunday, August 27, 2017 - Leg #44
Pos	Handicapper	Total Points Earned	Legs Won	Last Week	Streak
1st	Megan Maccario	779.23	8	1st	4
2nd	Rusty Nash	745.20	6	2nd
3rd	Matt Rose	701.38	7	3rd
4th	Russ Adams	693.62	7	4th
5th	Ray Garnett	630.11	4	8th
6th	Sally Hinckley	629.73	6	7th
7th	Dennis O’Hara	627.93	6	6th
8th	Anne Stepien	618.65	5	5th
9th	Gordon Waterstone	584.00	5	9th
10th	Bryan Owen	558.23	5	11th
11th	Steve Horoky	557.16	3	10th
12th	Terry Wilson	465.72	5	13th
13th	Jay Hochstetler	455.00	3	12th
14th	Ray Cotolo	420.33	3	16th
15th	Michael Carter	405.53	3	15th
16th	Adam Friedland	370.30	2	15th

Next Up: Thursday night (8/31) Mohawk Racetrack hosts the Champlain Stake for 2yo filly trotters.  On Friday (9/1), Mohawk hosts the Champlain Stakes for 2yo colt and gelding trotters, the Simcoe Stake for 3yo filly trotter.  Saturday (9/2), Mohawk hosts the Simcoe for 3yo colt and gelding trotters, the Canadian Pacing Derby, the Champlain stake for 2yo pacers of both sexes while Yonkers Raceway features the Yonkers Trot, Messenger Pace, Lady Maud, and the Hudson Filly Trot.  The following week has stakes racing from the Meadowlands, Mohawk Racetrack, and Scioto Downs. 

The 2017 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge is sponsored by Adam Friedland, DRF Harness, Green Acquisition Corporation, The Hambletonian Society, Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, Northfield Park, Ontario Harness Horse Association, Red Shores Charlottetown/Summerside, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, Wellbourne Farms, and WEG Entertainment.  The contest is administered by HANA Harness, the harness racing division of HANA, the Horseplayers Association of North America.  Fans may follow the challenge by visiting the contest site at http;//hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.