Weekend THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 DRF HARNESS HOME DRF.COM/HARNESS DRF BETS HARNESS PPS DIGITAL HARNESS EYE ENTRIES NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE Featured Tracks Spring preview for the 3-year-old trotters Meadowlands (FRI) Woodbine (FRI) Yonkers (FRI) Meadowlands (SAT) Woodbine (SAT) Yonkers (SAT) Get Get What s Inside Bergman: Determination of the standardbred, Page 5 Blumenfeld trio seeks weekend stakes succees at Yonkers, Page 6 Macedonio: Give them a reason and women will come, Page 6 Marks: King of the one-liners; random thoughts on the sport, Page 7 On The Backstretch: Driver profile of Aaron Merriman, Page 8 Handicapper s Corner: Best bets and Spot plays, Page 9 Stakes schedule & major carryover wagers, Page 9 Letters to the Editor and reader comments, Page 10 While time will be the true indicator of the top sophomore trotters for 2018, we take a look at some of the likely contenders EDITOR S EYE By Derick Giwner @DRFHarness With spring having sprung on Tuesday (March 20), despite another snowstorm visiting the Northeast Wednesday and no warm temperatures in sight for the area into early April, this seems like the perfect opportunity to look ahead at the potential top 3-year-old trotters for 2018. We are still some 19 weeks away from the warm August sun on Hambletonian Day, but the 93rd edition of that trotting classic and its companion race, the Hambletonian Oaks, will once again highlight the calendar for 2018. Who are my Winterbook choices as the top 3-year-old trotters this year? I ve narrowed it down to a six-pack each of colts and fillies. Normally I would rank them, but I didn t see enough separation in 2018 to feel comfortable with such a definitive look. Of course the filly Manchego deserves to be #1, but while she dominated with a perfect record, she was one of five with the fastest pari-mutuel win at 1:52 4/5. Looking back at the previous three years, that time ranks as the slowest for the leader in the category Walner (2016 1:51 3/5); Southwind Frank (2015 1:52 2/5); Mission Brief (2014 1:50 3/5). For what it is worth, and it may not be worth much since success or speed as a 2-year-old is not the sole indicator of 3-year-old dominance, the 1:52 4/5 clocking wouldn t rank in the history books as one of the Top 10 fastest miles by a rookie trotter. In fact, the time was the slowest since 2012 when a pair of fillies To Dream On and Fashion Athena trotted the year s best mile of 1:53 2/5. In the interest of full disclosure, Strawberry Hanover won a qualifier in 1:52 2/5 in 2017 if you want to count that as the fastest mile of the year. We won t get the chance to see if she can better that time since she has moved on from racing to try motherhood. Without further ado, in alphabetical order starting with the ladies, here are my preseason divisional leaders: BASQUIAT Record: 10-6-3-0 Earnings: $241,671 Best Time: 1:52 4/5 Trainer: Jimmy Takter Owner: Order By Stable Breeder: Order By Stable Sire/Dam: Cantab Hall / Thatsnotmyname She s a member of the 1:52 4/5 club, so that alone should merit her consideration. Her biggest win came in the $240,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Final at the Red Mile. Obviously she has more to prove against stakes foes but she showed a solid foundation as a freshman. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes 2 & 3-Year-olds~$275,000 Championships $60,000 Consolations Four $40,000 to $60,000 Legs Four $60,000 Championships for 4-Year-Olds & Up Download 2018 Schedule & Conditions at www.racingohio.net 2018 Daily Racing Form, LLC - 708 3rd Ave, 12th Floor, NY, NY 10017
CONTINUED from page 1 HEY BLONDIE Record: 13-5-1-3 Earnings: $295,595 Best Time: 1:53 1/5 Trainer: Chuck Sylvester Owner: Steve Jones, Mary Kinsey Arnold, Paul Bordogna & David McDuffee Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Sire/Dam: Cantab Hall / Winbak Blondie She traded blows with Basquiat in 2017 and picked up her biggest win versus that foe in the Kindergarten Final at The Meadowlands. While she never got in gear in the Breeders Crown, she made some noise in the rich Goldsmith Maid before making a break late in the mile. We definitely saw enough to say she has talent. MANCHEGO Record: 12-12-0-0 Earnings: $873,948 Best Time: 1:52 4/5 Trainer: Jimmy Takter Owner: Black Horse Racing, John Fielding & Herb Liverman Breeder: Brittany Farms Sire/Dam: Muscle Hill / Secret She never lost and basically took home the trophy in every major stakes race in her division. She goes into 2018 as the hands-down 1-5 favorite to crush her foes again, but I d prefer to see a couple of races in her sophomore season before etching her name into the history books as the best this year. Record: 10-9-0-0 Earnings: $404,690 Best Time: 1:53 1/5 Trainer: Ake Svanstedt Owner: Ake Svanstedt Inc., Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc. Breeder: Blue Chip Bloodtock Inc. Sire/Dam: Muscle Mass / Dunk The Donato Only one clunker on the year for her in the NY Sire Stakes final at Yonkers Raceway. Other PLUNGE BLUE CHIP than that, she was perfect in nine starts including stakes wins in the Goldsmith Maid and Matron. Along the way she also set track records at Tioga Downs, Yonkers and Buffalo Raceway. SEVIYORUM Record: 12-3-5-1 Earnings: $292,986 Best Time: 1:55 4/5 Trainer: Julie Miller Owner: Story Inc., Andy Miller Stable Inc. Breeder: Story Inc. Sire/Dam: Donato Hanover / Armbro Domino Lisa Photo Plunge Blue Chip set multiple track records in New York during 2017. Her calling card is that she never puts in an awful race. She was fifth or better in all 12 starts and fourth or better in 11 tries. It remains to be seen whether a winter of growth will result in her catching the others in terms of time, but I m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Other notables: O So Easy was the top 2-year-old trotting filly in Indiana. We have all seen the recent success of Hannelore Hanover and others from that state. Lily Stride finished in-the-money in 11 of 13 starts and always looked like a filly that could be any kind. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Derick Giwner Manchego will put her perfect record on the line when she makes her 2018 debut. Record: 7-4-2-1 Earnings: $259,853 Best Time: 1:53 1/5 Trainer: Trond Smedshammer Owner: Purple Haze LLC Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Sire/Dam: Explosive Matter / Phaeton PHAETOSIVE Smedshammer was patient with her all year and only raced her seven times. She came within three-quarters of a length of Manchego in the Peaceful Way final. Anyone who watched her in 2017 couldn t help but be impressed. The sky is truly the limit here. 3-Year-Old Colt Pacer of the Year against a tough crop that included A Rocknroll Dance & Sweet Lou p, 2, 1:50.4f; 3, 1:48f ($1,781,881) American Ideal-Shot Togo Bluechip-Cam s Card Shark Winner of Breeders Crown & Matron 2x 1 st crop averaged $39,667 at 2017 Lexington Standing at Winbak of NY for $5,000. Click Here for Online Booking Application. Dedicated to Putting You in the Winner s Circle! Noelle Duspiva, Winbak of NY Manager 845.778.5421 / stallions@winbakfarm.com www.winbakfarm.com / / HESTON BLUE CHIP DRF Harness Weekend 3 March 22, 2018
CONTINUED from page 3 And now the boys... ALARM DETECTOR Record: 7-6-1-0 Earnings: $225,482 Best Time: 1:52 4/5 Trainer: Benoit Baillargeon Owner: Thomas & Elizabeth Rankin, Claude Hamel & Santo Vena Breeder: Order By Stable Sire/Dam: Chapter Seven / Final Countdown You can t argue with one stakes final appearance (William Wellwood) and one win. He was also tied for the fastest mile of the year while only losing one race. A cannon bone bruise that cut his 2017 campaign short is said to be in the rear view mirror and the Goodtimes at Mohawk is scheduled as his first stakes race this year. SAMO DIFFERENT DAY Record: 13-2-5-4 Earnings: $337,222 Best Time: 1:54 2/5 Trainer: Jimmy Takter Owner: Christina Takter, Samo Partners Breeder: Lindy Farms of Conn Sire/Dam: Cantab Hall / Lindy sleadinglady He burst on the scene by winning the Haughton elimination with trainer Takter driving at 21-1 and followed it up with a solid second in the final behind stablemate You Know You Do. While he lacked a signature win, he did set a track record of 1:54 4/5 at Hoosier Park and picked up big checks in many of the top races. YOU KNOW YOU DO FASHIONWOODCHOPPER Record: 11-5-0-1 Earnings: $256,889 Best Time: 1:53 Trainer: Jim Campbell Owner: Fashion Farms LLC Breeder: Fair Winds Stable Sire/Dam: Donato Hanover / Woodshopper After a slow start, this guy looked like he could be the best in the division by the end of September. Something went awry after his career best 1:53 win at the Red Mile and he never found his best in his final few races. If Campbell can get him right again, watch out! FOURTH DIMENSION Record: 11-8-1-0 Earnings: $397,410 Best Time: 1:52 4/5 Trainer: Marcus Melander Owner: Courant Inc. Breeder: Ray Schnittker, Steve Arnold & Blue Chip Bloodstock Sire/Dam: Chapter Seven / Corazon Blue Chip He secured Dan Patch divisional honors by winning the Valley Victory to close out 2017. Driver Brian Sears followed him around the NY Sire Stakes circuit and steered him to a track record-equaling 1:57 at Yonkers Raceway and 1:58 at Monticello Raceway. If this division has a leader, it s him. Record: 11-5-3-1 Earnings: $267,135 Best Time: 1:52 4/5 Trainer: Julie Miller Owner: Story Inc., Andy Miller Stable Inc. Breeder: Winbak Farm Sire/Dam: Cantab Hall / Met s Inn He wasn t able to break through in one of the big dances but you can t argue with a second in the Breeders Crown and the 1:52 4/5 mark. While he comes up short in earnings compared to some of the others, he looks every bit as good on the scale of potential. MET S HALL DRF Harness Weekend 4 March 22, 2018 Giwner Team Miller will send out Met s Hall with an eye on the Hambletonian this year. Giwner You Know You Do could bring trainer Jimmy Takter his fifth career Hambletonian win. Record: 12-5-3-0 Earnings: $374,406 Best Time: 1:54 2/5 Trainer: Jimmy Takter Owner: Howard Taylor, Order By Stable, Bud Hatfield, Marvin Katz & Al Libfield Breeder: Valley High Stable Sire/Dam: Muscle Hill / You Want Me Came out strong from the start in 2017 but slowed as the calendar switched to October. That s understandable for a colt that was babyracing by June 5. He ll have to get faster to win as a 3-year-old, but the foundation is there for him to be a top colt. Other notables: Breeders Crown winner Fiftydallarbill didn t make my list because he isn t eligible to the Hambletonian or the Yonkers Trot. He ll have to be great in races like the Canadian Trotting Classic and Breeders Crown to make up for the races he ll miss. Wolfgang doesn t have the Trotting Classic or Yonkers Trot on his dance card. Much can happen between March and May when these top trotters will start appearing on the track. Let s hope the majority of them stay healthy and some newbies emerge to provide us with a thrilling year of trotting action. If you feel I missed a horse, email me at dgiwner@drf.com.
Awestruck by the never-ending determination of the standardbred jaywalking By Jay Bergman BergmanJay As the richest harness horse of all time Foiled Again awaits another chance to get win number 100 at the ripe age of 14, we are left somewhat in amazement of just what the standardbred athlete can accomplish. Going from a time where good horses were winning mile races in 2:04 over a half-mile track, expectations have changed dramatically and our horses appear more than capable of not just going faster. I must say, in today s racing there are few times that I find myself surprised with the results of a particular race. Like any handicapper, there are times where you have to look at the program again following an unexpected result in an attempt to figure out just why you missed something that may have been hidden. It is human nature to attempt to rationalize a victory that seemed implausible in advance of the race but became official when the judges illuminated the sign. Last Friday night at The Meadowlands after the fourth race I had to take another glance at the program. It wasn t that Bullvillestephanie was a longshot to win the non-winners or $3,500 event for fillies and mares. Though given a 15-1 prognostication in the morning line, the 4-year-old daughter of Roll With Joe, starting from the pole position, went to post as a 6-1 offering and won in eye-catching fashion for driver Anthony Napolitano and trainer-owner Steve Crevani. While those around me were curious about the low post-time odds on the mare, I was more intrigued by the confidence Bullvillestephanie s driver had in her during the mile and through the otherwise insane fractions the mare was able to negotiate. It s not everyday that the basement level pacers at The Meadowlands are led around the track through fractions of 27 2/5, 54 2/5 and 1:22 1/5. More so, it s not every day that a mare coming off a half-mile track where a majority of her lines are from off the pace, finds herself going six seconds faster to the three quarters than she did in her most previous start. Generally the handicapper will have some indication in past performance that suggests a horse is capable of leaving first, and second, able to cut swift fractions. This information was unavailable to those playing the races, but clearly driver Anthony Napolitano must have had ultimate confidence in the mare to attempt his strategy, or perhaps he was just lucky to find out that he still had something left in the tank following the 54 2/5 opening half and elected to see just how fast the mare could hit three quarters and whether it would defeat her. To no one s surprise the fractions did sap the strength of Bullvillestephanie, but by the time the mare hit three quarters she had so much distance between her rivals that it was sufficient to allow her to walk home in a 31-second final quarter and hold on to the victory by a diminishing neck. There are countless betting angles that may have led sharp players to this mare, not the least was the addition of Napolitano in the bike. Over the winter the driver has possessed the ability to make a lot of slow horses into sharp winners. Adding more intrigue to this particular horse was what could have actually been a hidden drop in class. That may be confusing to some considering Bullvillestephanie was racing for less purse money at Monticello. While that was in fact correct, it s hard to look at the basement level at the Meadowlands these days and not recognize the collection of horses could include those worth between $5,000 and $7,500 on a regular basis. This 4-yearold had campaigned below the New York Sire Stakes level as a 3-yearold in 2017, though a fringe player. What I managed to completely overlook in my initial handicapping of the fourth race was that Bullvillestephanie had in fact raced at Monticello on March 12 just four days prior to her start at The Meadowlands. While she was a non-factor in that race from post 7 racing from behind, perhaps the race served as a fast training mile for the horse and helped get her extra sharp for her just her second career start on a mile track. Her first came late in her 2-year-old season where she raced from off the pace at The Meadowlands. Bullvillestephanie was driven aggressively as Napolitano refused Derick Giwner Foiled Again is living proof of the durability and determination of the standardbred. to yield the front despite the presence of a favorite-type at his flank from the quarter going forward. The old adage in the sport suggested that it was ok for any driver to park another out regardless of favoritism as long as he finished ahead of his rival. Clearly Napolitano made the correct and winning move, refusing to yield the front willingly just to get a trip behind a favorite. There were enough betting angles that could have led the average player in the direction of Bullvillestephanie. Her victory, perhaps because she was 15-1 in the morning line, could lead many of the sport s followers to believe something untoward had in fact taken place right before their eyes. While the program can be a difficult place to unearth this kind of performance, we d all be wise not to underestimate the capabilities of the standardbred racehorse. Perhaps all that Bullvillestephanie needed was for a driver to test her lung capacity in the way it was on that Friday evening. That she was able to race twice within a four-day span is a testament to the toughness still a part of this durable breed. While it would have been helpful on paper if more people knew what the mare could do if allowed to go as fast as she could for three-quarters of a mile, it s refreshing to see a driver like Napolitano have the guts to take chances and throw caution to the wind. For those of us who don t want to see drivers routinely grabbing up to allow favorites easy clearance, it was great to see. DRF Harness Weekend 5 March 22, 2018
Blumenfeld trio seeks weekend success in Yonkers stakes By Jay Bergman When veteran trainer Paul Blumenfeld found out over a year ago that his stable star and millionaire Sapphire City was being sold it left a huge void. I was crushed, said Blumenfeld. I just got a call one day and the owner said it was a business decision. To me it was the same thing as if the owners of Foiled Again decided to put the horse in a claiming race. Surprised for sure, but Blumenfeld recognized that whether he liked it or not the horse business was in fact a business and Sapphire City was sold to continue his racing career for other connections. Now more than a year later, Blumenfeld has built back his stable of 30 and has the kind of talent necessary to compete at the highest level. This weekend three of his elite horses will compete at Yonkers Raceway in the Blue Chip Matchmaker on Friday and Saturday s George Morton Levy series. Vintage Babe, who drew post three in the second of five Blue Chip Matchmaker divisions on Friday (race 4), was purchased last September. At the time we thought she was the type of mare that would do for this series. It s taken some time but I was happy with the way she raced last week, said Blumenfeld. Vintage Babe finished fourth beaten three lengths to Twinkle in the first leg of the series last Friday at Yonkers. She s a big mare but she gets around the halfmile track well, said Blumenfeld. Vintage Babe faces a solid field including first round dominant winner Shartin N (post 4). Motu Moonbeam N has been a solid campaigner since brought here from New Zealand in 2016. She s a very nice mare. You can do anything you want with her, she s quite versatile, said Blumenfeld. She s also very tough and will give it her all. Motu Moonbeam N landed post seven on Friday in the fourth Blue Chip Matchmaker division carded as race six. The 6-year-old by Bettor s Delight has most definitely matured over time and appears to be racing much better this winter. Already an earner of $56,600 in nine starts this year, Motu Moonbeam N is fresh off a solid secondplace finish in the opening leg to Shartin N. She got sick last year and we had to shut her down for a while, said Blumenfeld as the reason Motu Moonbeam N made but 17 starts during her 5-year-old season. Motu Moonbeam N is in with a competitive group, with all seven mares looking for their first victory in the series. H P Sissy (post 1) and Jag Out (post 2) are the logical favorites in this division. When Blumenfeld had Sapphire City he was a regular in the Levy series. The veteran warhorse was an Open campaigner at Yonkers under Blumenfeld for over five years. It would be hard or near impossible to replace that kind of horse, but when the stable acquired Luciano N last year they expected him to be the type that could fill Sapphire City s shoes to some degree. He was racing against some of the better ones over there, said Blumenfeld of Luciano N. With him there s always been something that has kept him from performing at a top level. Yet persistence has a way of paying off and Blumenfeld has remained confident that the son of Bettor s Delight would at some point show his true colors. Over the last few months he s gotten better and better, said Blumenfeld. Brent (Holland) got off the bike last week and told me he was full of pace. Indeed Luciano N came from far back in last week s opening leg DRF Harness Weekend 6 March 22, 2018 Mike Lizzi Shartin N may have stamped herself as the one to beat in the Matchmaker series after a leg 1 win. of the Levy to finish fourth just beaten three lengths in a sharp 1:53 mile. That s not something that happens everyday when a horse goes to post at odds in excess of 100-1. Everything with him seems to be falling place at the perfect time, said Blumenfeld of Luciano N. At the same time the trainer was hardly jumping for joy despite drawing the pole in Saturday night s final of four Levy divisions. There s some very good ones in there, said Blumenfeld. More specifically, Luciano N will meet a pair of first round winners in Rockin Ron (post 2) and Mach It So (post 8). Also in this division is the recent import Waikiki Beach A, a disappointment in the opening leg that just may have needed some time to acclimate after arriving from Florida. Yonkers Raceway hosts a dozen races on Friday and Saturday nights with first post at 6:50 p.m. TROT TAKES By Ryan Macedonio @Trotcast Make it worthwhile... women will come So who s going to be the first to dedicate 75% of their resources to getting women to the racetrack? I ve talked about it before and this time I m referring to women as the customer, specifically, the BETTING customer. Here s a kick start. Women get double the odds... BOOM! Where did I conjure up this idea? Well, I was at a billiards tournament. It wasn t handicapped, with a random draw of matchups in a three-game set. Except, women had to pay half the entry fees. Women also had a separate pool. For every woman entrant, the pool hall put up a dollar and the last woman standing in the tournament got that extra money, which last night was $19. The total of $19 meant 19 women participated in the tournament. That amount basically paid your expenses for the evening between food, entry fees and table time. Who wouldn t like that in every tournament? There was also a raffle for every entrant to win another small pot. Women received DOUBLE the raffle tickets. Now in the end all of these little promotions didn t break anyone s bank or change anyone s life, but the bar deserves praise for getting 19 women into a place that is traditionally not welcoming to that gender. It s a pool hall! It s smoky, dark, filled with and catered to men. That environment sounds a lot like how women perceive a grandstand at racetracks. If you start paying out double the odds, women will find their way to the racetrack. Two things can happen: 1) Women will venture to a not so women-friendly place if there is a real chance to make money. If there is a real chance that a struggling college student could walk away with a few hundred each night because she received double odds, you would see that word of mouth spread fast! 2) Maybe all of a sudden wives are being brought to the track with their husbands to place the bets for them. Who cares why the women are there, once you have them, figure out other ways to get their money, whether it s through dining, merchandise, spas, shopping, etc. Imagine if there was a separate pot of money for the women who are in attendance at a track; maybe a chance to win $100 each night. Maybe every night is $1 beer night for women. Maybe women get a free program every night. Maybe
King of the one-liners on the mark By Bob Marks @BobMarks3 The late comedian Henny Youngman was known as the King of the one-liners throughout his career that spanned much of the twentieth century. I m no comedian and most of what I ve written below is far from funny, but below are some quick hits that have been sitting at the tip of my tongue waiting to be said. I understand you had to race him easy tonight, said no one ever holding tickets on a horse. If you breed a C-level mare to a C-level stallion, the best you can realistically hope for is a C-level foal. If you breed that C-level mare to an A or B-level stallion, you may still get a C-level foal, but from time to time you may get a B or even an A-level foal. Invariably the best foal from any sire will not be from the best mare he services. The key with intensive inbreeding is not whether or not it will work as it often does, but is it better, as it seldom is. A horse race is often like a down to the wire basketball game in that the winner is typically the horse who happens to be in front at the point of finish. If you change the point of finish, you have a different result. If you reverse the trips and the winner still wins, you have a clear-cut winner. Have we ever documented the physical characteristics of champions? How do you know you re looking at the best foal a mare has ever had unless you ve examined every one? Often I m more impressed with a horse that fails to win than I may be with the winner of a particular race. When I saw Artsplace at Freehold as a late 3-year-old, it flashed through my mind that I haven t seen a colt spend so much time on the outside and live to tell about it since Meadow Skipper. I knew we were dead in the water with the Presidential Ball s when the Cam s Card Shark s started out-gaming them in New Jersey Sires Stakes. The inevitability of loss syndrome dictates that the player must eventually lose, therefore constantly replenishing the pool of players is paramount. The casinos know this. How come the racetracks never figure it out? Somebeachsomewhere and Muscle Hill are perhaps the first American standardbred super race horses which truly emerged as super sires. Something the likes of Speedy Scot, Nevele Pride, Mack Lobell, Self Possessed, Adios Butler, Overtrick, Bret Hanover, Niatross and perhaps Nihilator were unable to do. It s amazing how the stud careers of Adios and Albatross so closely paralleled in that neither was able to leave true line extender sons despite each having dozens of potential candidates. Ironically both Adios and Albatross seemed to have their preferred nicks. With Adios it was Billy Direct and then Tar Heel mares while Albatross clearly excelled with Bret Hanover mares. Albatross however is the broodmare sire of exceptional and ongoing sires Artsplace and Western Hanover, both of which have male lines active today. I ve often wondered how many relevant races don t get watched when frustrated viewers switch to something else during the agonizing and often endless drag period. I m sure the Giants would have preferred to play the Packers in Green Bay at 1 p.m. in the sun rather than 8:30 p.m. at night in subzero weather, but you gotta play when the viewers can watch. That said, major races should be scheduled at a time of optimum attendance and viewership. The only crowd, you ll hold are the winners. Losers leave, winners stay till the money runs out. Yes, thoroughbred stakes are scheduled at the end of the card, but that s before dinner. When we do likewise, it s often before midnight. If a stallion is meant to be he ll usually show something regardless of the quality of his early books. Like Adios, Meadow Skipper, Star s Pride, Speedster, Steady Beau, Balanced Image and others. Star s Pride was fifth on the trotting siring totem pole when he started at Hanover Shoe Farms, but wound up being the Hambletonian sire accounting for eight classic winners. Meadow Skipper never would have happened had Adios not been ill and resulting in the dam Countess Vivian s switch from the $15,000 super-sire to the $1,500 first crop stallion Dale Frost. I ve been hearing good things about the Father Patrick s and Trixton s. Ditto the Captain Treacherous and Sweet Lou s. If The Meadowlands opened for thoroughbreds instead of harness on that fateful September 1, 1976, would the result have been the same? Amour Angus has the Hall boys Conway Hall, Angus Hall and Andover Hall. Margaret Spangler had King s Counsel, Chief Counsel, Attorney and Blackstone. Evensong had Volo Song, Victory Song, Peter Song, Gay Song and Mighty Song. Of those, all sired winners except for Volo Song who died prematurely. If I got a free program, I might put what I would have paid for it through the windows and who knows, if I won, I might have bet more! When favorites won the first two double races at the old Roosevelt or Yonkers, the crowd had money for the third race triple. So how has the odd distance experiment at Pompano worked out handle-wise? If possible, read the harness racing posts of Gordon Banks on Facebook. The man is extremely insightful and very articulate. Where would this pacing breed be if Meadow Skipper was indeed gelded as scheduled following his 2-year-old campaign? The reason that didn t happen is that Joe Lighthill discovered the more he whipped him, the faster the colt paced and he wound up equaling the 2-year-old season s record at Hollywood Park in his final start of the year. Meadowlands post time now 7:15 Effective immediately, post time at the Meadowlands moves back to the traditional 7:15 p.m. The mile oval will continue to conduct live racing on a Friday and Saturday basis through the end of the meeting, which is the first Saturday in August. There are three exceptions to the 7:15 p.m. post time: The first race will get underway at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday, July 7, when eliminations for the Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace take place On Saturday, July 14, post time is once again 6:35 p.m. when the marquee event is the $650,000 Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace final Post time is noon on Saturday, Aug. 4, for a star-studded, stakes-laden card that features the $1 million Hambletonian This weekend s action includes a 11-race card on Friday and a 12-race program for Saturday night. The featured race comes on Saturday when Western Joe seeks his fourth win in five $20,000 Preferred Handicap starts. -edited release (Meadowlands) DRF Harness Weekend 7 March 22, 2018
Did you ever want to know more than just the statistics of your favorite trainers and drivers? Derick Giwner took to the backstretch to ask them some more unorthodox questions. Driver Aaron Merriman What kind of car do you drive? Favorite dinner meal? Snack? Chinese food or Sushi / Pistachio nuts What is your favorite track to race at? Any track I m winning at. Cadillac When you leave the track, are the races still on your mind? No. What is the longest time you ve sat in traffic trying to get to a track? I think it was a two-hour trip that turned into a seven hour one. I was going from The Meadows to Northfield and there was a casulty, so all traffic was stopped until the investigator came. We could not move. Do you study the past performances before showing up at the track? No. I take a slight glance when I get to the track if I don t know the horses. I always speak to the trainers briefly if they are there. Who is your best friend on the backstretch? My dad, Lanny. If you are going to grab a drink after the races, which horseperson would you want to hang out with? Wyatt Irvine or Ryan Stahl. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not racing? Anything with my children. I have two, 15 and 3 years old. What is your favorite sport? Team? Basketball. Cleveland Cavs. What is one thing about you most fans/bettors don t know? I m very nice. Some people might not think that because I m psycho about winning races. Chris Gooden Aaron Merriman trying to hold up 10 fingers to symbolize 10,000 career wins. What is one word that describes harness racing for you? Love. Do you have a driving style? Uber aggressive. Other than your spouse, who is the #1 person on your speed dial? My son. If you weren t a driver, what would you be doing? I always said I wanted to be a mailman, but I would probably be a bartender or a waiter, just because I like people. What is the best advice you ve ever received about harness racing? There are ups and downs; don t ever worry about them. If I have a bad day, my father will say, So what, tomorrow will be your day. You just reached 10,000 career driving wins. Will you eventually pass leader Dave Palone? It is not really a thought for me. That guy is still driving just as strong as years ago. If I would ever even come close it would be an amazing accomplishment. I give that guy a lot of respect. (Through 3/19 Palone had 18,239 wins) Did you ever seriously consider coming east to drive? No. I like where I live. I d be a fish out of water over there. I don t know if I could handle it every day. If you had to set an over/under on the number of speeding tickets you get a year, what would it be? I ve been very good the last year. I can tell you this, just in the state of Ohio for my life it is over 45. That is not good. But I ve never had an excessive speeding ticket where you are travelling over 20 miles per hour. All of mine have been in the 10-15 range. DRF Harness Weekend 8 March 22, 2018
Weekend Spotlight At DRF Harness we strive to prvode the best handicapping information in the sport. Each week we ll use this space to bring you some of our handicappers best bets, value plays and horses to watch. Use this information as one of your tools when wagering or simply click on the link above and head to DRF Bets to wager now. Happy Handicapping! RACE 10 Thursday, MARCH 22 Derick Giwner & Matt Rose discuss the Matchmaker & Levy from Yonkers Raceway this weekend. (5) GRATIAN HANOVER raced well enough to win last week but was jammed in the pocket while outfinished by two good rivals; Bongiorno trainee can resume winning ways from this spot. -Matt Rose Friday, March 23 RACE 6 Friday, MARCH 23 Yonkers (6:50 p.m.) $40,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Mare Pace (Races 2,4-6,9) Saturday, March 24 the meadows (1:05 p.m.) Pick 5 Carryover ($4,952) (Races 7-11) yonkers (6:50 P.M.) $50,000 Levy Memorial Open Pace (Races 7-8,10-11) Monday, March 26 Yonkers (6:50 p.m.) $62,000 Petticoat Final 3&4YO F&M (Race 7) Tuesday, March 27 Yonkers (6:50 p.m.) $63,400 Sagamore Hill Final 3&4YOs (Race TBA) (8) CHAPTER TOO seems to be getting better with every start and just missed last week in a huge mile. She should get the job done regardless of trip tonight. -Derick Giwner RACE 10 The last time (5) RUBIS PRESCOTT raced this low - in January - she easily wired the field. No excuses here. -Garnet Barnsdale RACE 8 (3) EVENIN OF PLEASURE was a good second to a tough Rockin Ron last week in his seasonal debut for a new barn; Jenn Bongiorno trainee looks very solid in this spot. -Matt Rose RACE 8 (2) MIKE S Z TAM raced evenly in his first start since November against a field that is much better than tonight s competition. If Lachance keeps him in striking range this guy should win. -Giwner Saturday, march 24 Want full-card analysis? Visit DRF.com/harness DRF Harness Weekend 9 March 22, 2018
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR & SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDBACK Taking exception to Keith Gisser s comments As the Chairman of The Humane Society of the United States Horseracing Advisory Council, it is incumbent upon me to correct a misstatement made in Keith Gisser s March 20 article in the DRF [Editor s Note: The column appeared in the March 15 Newsletter edition]. Mr. Gisser claims that HSUS wants to abolish horse racing and end all human ownership of animals. Nothing could be further from the truth. As someone who has spent a lifetime in the horse racing industry and cares deeply about its future, I m honored and proud to be working with HSUS for the betterment not the elimination of horse racing. HSUS is a mainstream animal welfare organization known for its many rescue efforts, disaster response, mobile veterinary clinics, animal care centers, legislative initiatives, and direct care for thousands of animals pets and wildlife each year. The Equine Protection Department focuses on supporting horse rescues through the Homes for Horses Coalition and providing opportunities for hands on training for horses in rescues to increase adoption rates. The department works on both a state and federal level to pass effective legislation that addresses horse abuse with a focus on ending horse slaughter and the soring of Tennessee Walking horses. Importantly, HSUS was the first animal welfare organization to take an active role in supporting The Horseracing Integrity Act H.R.2651 alongside many prominent industry organizations. Passage of this critically important legislation is vital to protecting the integrity of our sport, and to promoting a sustainable and viable horse racing industry in the future. I have personally participated in literally dozens of meetings with US Senators and Congresspersons where leaders of HSUS have stressed the importance of maintaining a vibrant and successful horse racing industry, and have stated unequivocally that a vibrant and successful industry is not only compatible with but essential to the best interests of the equine athletes that are the industry s foundation. The ruthless opponents of HSUS including the most pernicious factory farmers and the cruelest animal fighters have undertaken a well-financed and sophisticated marketing campaign to lump HSUS in with extremist groups like PETA. We in the horse racing industry should be smart enough not to fall for the con. It s both wrong and foolish to paint all animal welfare organizations with the same brush just as it s wrong and foolish to impugn the integrity of the overwhelming majority of honest and honorable breeders, owners and trainers because of the actions of an unscrupulous few. Our current and potential fans now more than ever are demanding that we in the industry take all reasonable steps that are necessary to promote and enhance the welfare of our industry s heart and soul: our equine and human athletes. We should applaud and be grateful for-- the involvement of mainstream animal welfare groups like The Humane Society of the United States whose support will help us achieve this essential goal. Joe DeFrancis Thoughts on the risks of wagering and illegal drugs DRF Harness Weekend 10 March 22, 2018 Gamblers know and accept there is always a level of risk associated with gambling regardless of the type of gambling, i.e, sports, horse racing, casino and the lottery. What they can t accept is feeling like they have been cheated which is exactly what trainers who use illegal substances are doing to the public. While the tracks make the horsemen whole by redistributing the purse money, it does nothing for the betting public. Perhaps if the tracks were required legally to refund all wagers, they would take a more proactive stance since it is now also costing them more money. Like the horsemen, the racetrack operators have a responsibility of policing their business. Suspending trainers and preventing horses from racing for a short period of time at a given track does nothing for the bettors. This is one of the reasons why less people bet on horse racing these days as the public rightfully thinks it s an insiders game who are ripping off an uninformed vulnerable public. What Darin Zoccali s article does not mention is how much the insiders such as the trainers and others also made betting on their horses containing illegal substances who have won a race. Also the frequent use of illegal substances likely impact the long term physical condition of the horse in a negative way, thus harming the animal. Perhaps, as a proactive measure, a detention barn along with pre race testing while costly is likely the only solution to curtail the cheaters. The tracks and the owners could hopefully reach an agreement on how to share this additional cost. Sadly, otherwise the cheaters, while hopefully only a small percentage of the overall horsemen population, will continue using illegal substances and continue to drive the bettors away totally or to make smaller wagers based on their perception of associated undisclosed risk. Regards, Walt Majowicz Comments on Gisser s March 15 column about PETA Someone should ask PETA why it euthanizes more dogs than any other entity. Jerry Kebrdle on Facebook Most racehorses get excellent care, feed and veterinary work.and like to race. Andrew Berg on Facebook Arguments for and against Derick Giwner s March 8 stance that Foiled Again should race at age 15 As long as he s healthy let him do what he does best. #FoiledAgain Zamir Harvey on Facebook Just let him retire, he s proven how he was and is a great horse without a doubt. Garry Cole on Facebook For sure. He has not been competitive for months now. Let the old guy run in his pasture! He owes you nothing and to say he enjoys it is stupid. But that is just my opinion. John Wilkison on Facebook I have a 15-year-old that was forced to retire. His heart was still in the race more than most horses hearts ever are. We found a home for him where he is embarking on a new career as a riding horse. Jessy Smith on Facebook No way should the rules be changed. He deserves to have a life of leisure; pretty sure he has earned that right many times over. Edward DeRosa on Facebook When was the racing-standardbreds-must-retire-at-15 rule instituted, anyway? If not for the rule, I don t see any reason a sound horse couldn t race as long as it s able and cared for well. Joe Dougherty on Twitter I remember when Azure Blue retired. He walked the fence for years, and whinnied every time the truck went out.. like people, not everyone is ready to be forced into retirement. Nancy Lisi on Twitter After his last start, maybe he should have already been retired. Alan Smith on Twitter Something to say? Email dgiwner@drf.com