Sunday Morning Review

You know fall is in the air when Tioga Downs closes for the season, the Canadian Trotting Classic is contested, and Jug week is upon us.

The Canadian Trotting Classic was won by Father Patrick, the horse who will be the 3yo trotter of the year.  I would like to say the race was contested but let's face it, Father Patrick is heads above the others in his crop.  There is only two ways Father Patrick gets defeated; he defeats himself with a costly break as he did in the Hambletonian or sickness takes hold of him.  Neither is very likely.  At the betting window, the CTC shows me it is foolish to bet against him at the windows (and I tried last night playing second place finisher E L Titan).  If I ran the racetracks he will still compete at this year, I would bar Patrick from wagering so there would be better options (and payoffs) for the gambler.




Meanwhile at Delaware, a field of 23 fillies dropped in the box for the Jugette, resulting in three elimination races while 16 colts dropped in the box for the Little Brown Jug resulting in two tilts in the first elimination.  For those who desire a little early action, off-track there is the second Jug future wager while at Delaware, there is an additional future wager which consists of a Jugette-Jug Daily Double (Race 3 is the Jug future wager program page).

Can Mcwicked have it any easier, drawing the rail in the second heat of the first elimination of the Little Brown Jug?  It's not a slam-dunk as He's Watching is versatile and has the potential to make the race interesting, but the rail at Delaware certainly makes things easier for Mcwicked.

While Delaware is racing today, as usual there will be no simulcasting of the early cards of the Delaware meet.


Last night at Mohawk, in addition to the Canadian Trotting Classic was a non-wagering $15,000 RUS event.  While the original plans were for the race to have wagering, it ended up as a non-wagering event.  I must confess, the start was not good with a few horses far off the gate but the race had an exciting finish as Radical Dreamer (ridden by Marit Valstad) held off a stretch charge by Smarty Pants ridden by Riina Rekilia.