Southwind Frank Preps, Racing Hill Wows

In a Reynolds stake last night (7/30) at the Meadowlands, Hambletonian-bound Southwind Frank scored a convincing victory in 1:52.1 over a sloppy oval, starting from post position eleven.  Frank was parked the first half mile before being able to go into cruise control the rest of the way.  No doubt he is ready for the Hambletonian



Tomorrow, we learn how many horses drop into the Hambletonian. Fourteen horses dropping in the box will result in elimination heats prior to the final while thirteen or fewer horses head directly to the final.  My guess is after Southwind Frank's performance Saturday night, there won't be any need for same-day eliminations.


As impressive as Southwind Frank was, one has to have their eyes wide-open after seeing Racing Hill's 1:48.4 off-track victory in the Adios.  Tony Alagna's Racing Hill had to defeat five horses from the Burke stable and he went through blistering fractions being parked in :25.1, :52.1 before getting the lead and followed it up by getting a breather in the third quarter to reach that marker in 1:20.3 before winning in hand.




Understandably, after this race, Racing Hill will be skipping the Cane Pace at the Meadowlands for a little freshening.  Believe me, after this mile, he deserves a break.


Savor this week's Hambletonian Day card for if some reason the expanded gaming referendum in New Jersey fails, next year's Hambletonian Day will be a mere shadow of this year's card.  Oh, and for those who feel strongly one way or the other about second tier and lengthier races, note as many as six of the races on the Hambletonian Day card could end up being contested at 9 furlongs.


Monday (August 1) is Industry Day at Grand River Raceway and as part of the day, there is an $11,000 RUS Handicap on the card, programmed as Race 3. With many ADWs covering Grand River Raceway, let's take a look at the field for the one mile dash.

Monday, Grand River Raceway
3rd Trot - $11,000; RUS Handicap
1  Callie Magoo (Habke, 12-1) - Gets rider change after disappointing finish.  Don't see this one winning.
2  Gracies Harmony (Enberg, 10-1) - Scratched two weeks straight; concern about fitness  Appears 'ouchy', pass.
3  Ospry Vision (Brand, 7-1) - Finished 3rd in RUS qualifier.  Seems to always land a share.
4  Southwind Alice (Harms, 7-2) - Three race win streak came to an end last start.  Looks to start over.
5  Fashion Goddess (Kennedy, 2-1) - Won last in 1:55 in sulky.  Broke in RUS qualifier here.  Your call.  I'll pass.
6  Muscle Matters (Town, 8-5) - Won last RUS in 2:01.1, then won in Grand River qualifier for a rider.  The one to beat.
Selections: 6-4-3

Catching Up

I'm back!   A lot has been going on over the past two weeks while I have been busy working on a different aspect of harness racing so the blog slowed down quite a bit.  In a way it is unfair, but when you have an opportunity to work on something you love, other things take a back seat.

That said, I am going to try to balance my efforts so I can dedicate time to both this blog as well as the other project.  Not only will it allow me to keep this blog active, it will add some balance (and sanity) to my life.

First of all, my sympathy to the families of Joe Marsh Jr. and George Berkner.    Two more names of people I felt a connection to in the sport are gone.  Maybe it is nostalgia, but no one in the current crop of personalities can match the panache of those who have recently departed.  Alas, the sands of time continue to pass.


Boy, it didn't take long did it?  Two years into subsidies for horse racing and there are cries to end the subsidizing of horse racing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.   The Patriot Leader calls subsidizing horse racing investing into a moribund industry; an industry it claims was already dead before the casinos came into the state.  While the editorial was correct in mentioning the industry was on death's door before the first casino came into the Commonwealth, it doesn't consider the fact most wagering occurs off-track, from states where casinos have captured many a horseplayer.


As much as I love Meadowlands racing, I am further convinced the East Rutherford facility needs to rethink its schedule big time  Instead of racing two days a week for a good part of the year, wouldn't they do better if they raced four days a week in the months of January-March and then return for a 'Championship' meeting July-August?


Adios Pick - While most people will be looking for Racing Hill to win the Race for the Orchids, my pick is Manhattan Beach.  If you are looking for an off the radar type of selection since many of the Adios winners are ones that are basically off the radar, Fernando Hanover is a possibility despite the 8 hole.  In the Adioo Volo, the filly companion stake, Newborn Sassy gets my top nod.


How bad is NJ breeding?  Only five horses go in the SBOA Classic, just making it to the wagering card.  As bad as it is, the fillies are even in worse shape as a quartet of 3yo filly pacers make it to the filly companion stake for state-bred which will be contested prior to the evenings regular program.


Speaking of the Meadowlands, the Reynolds for 3yo trotters is being contested in one division with Hambletonian favorite Southwind Frank appearing to be the one who has an easy night of it despite being saddled with a second tier starting position.  If you are looking for a bomb special for the day, you amy want to look at Desert Runner as he picks up the services of John Campbell.  If they hae him straightened out, he may make a show of it.

Whips in the Bullseye

Reports from NSW Australia suggest whips in harness racing may be on the way out; this coming from the head of Harness Racing NSW, ​John Dumesny.  No doubt these comments come as a result of the state banning greyhound racing starting in 2017.

Dumesny is probably right about whips eventually being banned from the standardbred sport.  When a survey shows 54% of the public approved of the elimination of greyhound racing, it is clear the public lacks patience for sports which seemingly involve cruelty to animals.  As the leader of harness racing in the province, Dumesny sees the three forms of racing in NSW as having 'social' licenses; needing to respond to the social norms or risk their licenses.  NSW may be first but it will be only a matter of time before such a ban spreads to other Australian states.

Perhaps Judy Fasher, of Equestrian Australia says it best, “Any sport that ignores a problem which exists, has a responsibility to clean up that problem or be cleaned up".

So how does this apply to racing in the United States?  The scandal which ensnared greyhound racing in Australia thankfully doesn't exist in the States but just the same, the sport is in its death throes, the lack of alternative gaming, decoupling, or outright state bans has the number of tracks on a steady decline.  Regardless of the specific reason why, the sport is dying because of the real and perceived humane issues involved in the sport.  These same pressures are beginning to be felt in horse racing, with the issue of doping in the forefront, thankfully focused primarily on the thoroughbreds.  

As time goes on, horse racing will be more in the cross hairs of those who feel the sport is cruel and the easiest thing to get targeted are whips. For a sport becoming ever more dependent on slot subsidies, it will be up to the sport to clean itself up before the problem gets taken care of by others for the end result may be more draconian.   


Good News in New York.  Remember those great stakes races at Tioga Downs this year where there were eight horses in  the race but due to coupled entries, you would be down to five or fewer betting interests?  Well, in bringing parity between the standardbreds and thoroughbreds, the NYSGC has approved a rule change which allows for the uncoupling of horses in stakes races.  As a result, when we see eight good horses in a feature race, we should be seeing eight wagering interests.  This is the way it ought to be.  It's about time.

Trainer Updates Mid-July

This trainer update compares stats from July 16, 2015 and those from the same date this year. Due to space considerations, many are not included.

As of July 16 Ron Burke, 46, was number one on the trainer’s money list, just like he always is. He has 16 fewer wins than he did on January, 16 2015, but his earnings are up almost $470,000 over last year. His UTRS is roughly the same as it was at that time. Southwind Frank and Hannelore Hanover are his premier performers. Needless to say, Miki, Wiggle and Pete are narrowing the opportunities for his aged pacers. Burke is the top trainer at The Meadowlands and The Meadows; he’s second at Pocono Downs, fifth at Yonkers, and he leads the NYSS.

Jimmy Takter, 55, is number three on the money list. He finished in second the last several years and will be second again this year.

Richard Moreau, the top trainer at Mohawk, was number five as of Sunday July 16, up from number 8 a year ago this time. His earnings are up $252,000 over last year. He has double the wins and money of any other trainer at Mohawk. Fifty-0ne-year-old Moreau finished 2015 at number 13, after being 13 or 14 every year since 2012. Evenin Of Pleasure and Collective Wisdom are a couple of his winners.

Richard Banca, 41, who was not in the top 50 from 2012 to 2014, is at number six: he was third in May and finished 2015 at number 20. The runner up in the standings at Yonkers, he had made 245 more starts through July 16 than he had made last year, resulting in 28 more wins and almost $609,000 more in earnings. His UTRS actually dropped from 0.356 last July to 0.317. Banca makes 80% of his starts at Yonkers.

Ake Svanstedt finished at number 17 during his first season in North America, thanks to the $660,000 Sebastian K banked. Last year he dropped to number 30. Right now he’s at nine with only a handful more wins but $618,000 more in earnings. Cutler winner Resolve’s $260,000 helped out there. Also, Svanstedt is third on the NYSS earnings list.

Linda Toscano was number 4 in 2012 and number 7 the following year. Back when Market Share, Chapter Seven and Heston Blue Chip roamed the earth. She finished at 11 in 2014 and ended 2015 at 15. Right now she’s up to nine, six spots better than last July. She has earned $233,000 more than one year ago. Toscano is number two in the NYSS, her success propelled by freshmen like Robin J, Worlds Apart and Planet Rock.

As was the case with Toscano, Captaintreacherous  gave 44-year-old Tony Alagna a big boost on the money list: he was number 5 in 2012 and number 3 the following year. But like Toscano, Tony has soldiered on without the cash cow. He finished 2014 at 7 and was fourth last year. Right now he occupies the 11 spot, three better than mid-July of last year. His bankroll is up by almost $203,000 on 93 fewer starts. Pace runner up Racing Hill and OSS star Caprice Hill are two of his best.

Thomas Milici, who was not on the top 50 until this year, is number 12, after being at nine in May. The 60-year-old phenom is the number three trainer at Yonkers, where he makes 80% of his starts. His horses win at a heady 34.6% rate. Last year his charges won 27 races and earned $304,000; as of July 16, half-way through the year, they had 109 wins and more than $1.1 million.

Thirty-nine-year-old Dylan Davis is another freshly minted uber- trainer who has made great strides in a relatively short period of time. He wasn’t on the top 50 in 2012 and 2013, and was at number 48 in 2014. And while he didn’t finish 2015 on that list, he was at 32 last July. This year he’s up to number 15, with 139 more starts, 26 more wins and $403,000 more in earnings. His UTRS was 0.353 a year ago and it’s risen to 0.363. Mel Mara and NJSS star Every Way Out are two of his winners.

Virgil Morgan Jr, 50, who is the leading trainer at Scioto Downs, was at number 6 last July, but he’s at 19 this year. He has 71 fewer wins and has banked $626,000 less than he had one year ago. His UTRS has dropped from 0.362 to .322. Morgan finished 2015 at 10, and the Scioto schedule favors a second half run. He was tenth and ninth the previous two years. Josh Sutton drives regularly for Morgan.

Matias Ruiz, 58, has been training for a quarter century, but he had never cracked $530,000 until this year. The California transplant went from off the top 50 list last year to number 22 right now. Through July 16 he has 53 wins and $872,000 in earnings. He’s sixth from the top at Pocono Downs and number 19 at Yonkers.

Buckeye Chris Beaver, 44, wasn’t on the top 50 this time last year, but he finished the year at number 35 with 67 wins and $1.5 million.  Right now he’s at 24. As of July 16 he had 54 wins and earnings of $826,000. And he sports an out of this world 0.442 UTRS. He returned from Canada to focus on Ohio with its enhanced sire stakes program. Il Sogno Dream and Muscle Up The Goal are two of his winners. Aaron Merriman often drives for him.

Joe FitzGerald

 

These odd-distance M'lands races totally leave me cold

by Peter Lawrence, VFTRG Contributor

Ugghhh.

I've attended every Hambletonian from 1980 to the present (except '81); that's a given. Yes, even one in DuQuoin.

But there was a stretch of a few years that I missed a few Meadowlands Paces and watched them either from home or at a simulcast location.

Then came 2008 and Somebeachsomewhere, and I made it a point to attend live. I would've felt like a dolt if he, or another horse, won and I'd missed some seeing some crazy wild mile time.

Good call.

The 1:47 victory by Art Official over SBSW, and especially the way the race went, made that edition of the Pace an instant classic people still talk about.

More recently, the Franklin FFA at Pocono Downs about three weeks ago was on the docket, with Wiggle It Jiggleit, Freaky Feet Pete and Always B. Miki all together and threatening to pace in the 1:46 neighborhood.

I was dead-tired from a day that was already long that evening. It would've been easy to watch it from home, I was already planning to be in Goshen the next day, and I was looking for a good excuse to not drive all the way to the Pennsylvania mountains.

But I would've felt like a dolt if one of those three great pacers, or some other, had won and I'd missed seeing some crazy wild mile time.

Always B. Miki won it on the initial meeting of the Big Three, but no 1:46 and change or better, "only" a 1:47 flat. Still, quite an event on quite a card, I had a good time and I'm happy I made the trip.

Round two of the gathering of the same Big Three this past Saturday in the William R. Haughton FFA, but zero chance of a crazy wild mile time.

Why?

The race, traditionally a one-mile affair, was stretched out to a mile and an eighth.

I had no idea, still don't, still don't care, what a good time even IS for a mile and an eighth.

Always B. Miki won again, recording a 2:01-1/5 final time off a 1:48-1/5 mile split.

Is that a good or bad final clocking?

As far as I'm concerned, we missed a fantastic chance on Saturday to see history, a 1:46-3/5, a 1:46-1/5 mile - or even a 1:45 and change - yet I was considerably less excited about this race than I was about the one at Pocono.

Will the Big Three convene again in the upcoming U.S. Pacing Championship, the Canadian Pacing Derby, the Allerage or somewhere else?

Springfield, DuQuoin and Syracuse are no longer options. (Well, technically, two of them are, but there's no way.)

Will all three titans still be in peak form, will the weather cooperate, will the fractions be conducive to 1:46 or faster if and when they compete together again?

I dunno ...

My European friends, and some, maybe many, here in the U.S., may agree or disagree with me on the odd-distance vs. mile question.

But count me as one voice against the mile and an eighth.

Notes: The primary argument for the goofy distance is, I think, that track management wanted 12 horses competing in various races (a valid aim, if it increases handle, I guess; though if I was betting, I wouldn't want a bigger field and more horses to beat). But haven't M'lands stakes been raced with 12 or so horses, at a mile, plenty of times before? I seem to recall the 1980 Oliver Wendell Holmes result being something like 12-10-11, Niatross, Storm Damage and Royce. I also think the M'lands Pace was raced, at a mile, of course, with 12 horses, every year for a while.

Charts and program past performances aren't set up for harness races at longer than a mile. Look at the charts on the Meadowlands and USTA websites. No mile times listed, and no last quarter times figured.

Here's a thought; didn't Roosevelt Raceway "start" races several steps before the official start and before the clock started? Maybe M'lands could do the same with larger fields. I think I've seen thoroughbred races start steps before the clock began running, too. Maybe that's what "about" means in some t-bred listed race distances.

In any case, added-distance harness racing leaves me cold.

Brrrrrrrr!