As promised, here is a review of the big four races on Friday night at the Meadowlands. There are two divisions of the Delvin Miller Memorial, the last major prep for the Hambletonian Oaks and two divisions of the Stanley Dancer Memorial, the last major prep for the Hambletonian. Here is my take on these races.
4th Race - Delvin Miller Memorial Trot - 3yo fillies - 1st Division
6 - Margarita Momma (3-1)
8 - Windsong Soprano (7-2)
4 - Raising Rachel (5-1)
7 - Celebrity Juliet (8-1)
What's there to say? Margarita Momma is the class of the 3yo trotting fillies until someone knocks her off. That being said, I expect some challenges to her this week. If she goes odds on, either watch the race or take a stab at another horse. Windsong Soprano is one of the main contenders to MM. Her only loss this year was in the final of the Elegant Image. Raising Rachel brings Jackie Mo back to the Meadowlands. This winner of two out of four this year (nine out of twelve for her career; eleven times first or second) is a definite threat. Celebrity Juliet is a long shot selection for this race. Celebrity raced under the radar in the Casual Breeze and Elegant Image at Mohawk and was tightened up winning the Zweig Filly Memorial at Tioga Downs in 1:56.1. Any type of odds and she may very well be the one to play.
5th Race - Stanley Dancer Memorial Trot - 3yo Open - 1st Division
2 - Muscle Hill (1-1)
1A - Explosive Matter (5-2)
7 - Tom Cango (5-1)
What is there to say about Muscle Hill? This is a race I will watch and not bet. Still not sure that he is the Hambo winner but there is time to ponder that after this week. If Explosive Matter was not part of a three horse entry I would be wagering on him as you might get good odds but that is out the window due to the coupling. While he may not have the press of Muscle Hill, Explosive Matter at least has raced in parimutuel races. As much as Muscle Hill has looked sharp in his qualifiers, they are not the same as regular races. Tom Cango was second best to Explosive Matter in the Dickerson at the Meadowlands; completes the triple.
6th Race - Delvin Miller Memorial Trot - 3yo fillies - 2nd Division
1 - Celebrity Deville (7-2)
3 - Yursa Hanover (9-2)
8 - Honorable Daughter (5-2)
This division of the Delvin Miller Memorial is a more competitive race. Celebrity Deville is the pick here. She easily won a 3yrF nw2 race at the Meadowlands but that was a tightener after winning the final of the Elegant Image at Mohawk in 1:54.3. Deville is coupled with Celebrity Athena but this should not impact the odds on her. Yursa Hanover has been close in most of her starts this year and won her last tighter at Vernon Downs. A winner of $334,000 last year, she shows she has ability and may be rounding into form. Honorable Daughter is, based on past performance, the best horse in this race and shows a 1:55.3 qualifier at the Meadowlands last week. Only problem is this is her first start since May; she may need a race. At 5-2 and probably lower at post time, I will let her beat me.
8th Race - Stanley Dancer Memorial Trot - 3 year old Open - 2nd Division
7 - Federal Flex (3-1)
4 - Hot Shot Blue Chip (9-2)
2 - Mr Cantab (5-2)
As with the Miller, the second division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial may be the more interesting race. We are skipping the three horse entry of Cesar A Blue Chip, Citation Lindy and My Back Pages and going with Federal Flex. Federal Flex won the Goodtimes at Mohawk on heart as he scoped sick after the race. Having a little time off, I expect a sharper effort and if I my suspicions are correct, we may be seeing the horse that may derail the Hambeltonian coronation of Muscle Hill. Hot Shot Blue Chip is a horse that drives a trainer to drink. Last start in the Dickerson Hot Shot finished 2nd by a neck after breaking twice; once at the half and the second time at the wire. He has the talent but just needs to mind his manners (my guess is he will be a monster as an aged trotter). While I can't pick him, if Federal Flex is too short on the odds and Hot Shot is ignored, I may take a stab with him. Mr Cantab has been coming along slow and seems to be reaching his peak coming into this race. While there is no chance he can keep up with a ready to go Federal Flex, I expect him to be in the triple.
News Item: The Pot of Gold may be Turning to Bronze
As I have mentioned several times in this blog, VLTs are not the end all to save racing; at best they are a crutch. Once states get squeezed for funds to pay for their social programs, they are going to look for funds wherever they can get them. Many involved in the sport, either due to wishful thinking or naively think VLTs are the cure all. "Business can go on as it is now, we have our slot fueled purses and the good times will go on forever even if we are racing in front of empty stands and little wagering".
Well the wake up call has arrived. In Pennysylvania, the state has a budget impasse and the state House of Representatives is looking to take $100 million dollars dedicated to the standardbred and thoroughbred Race Horse Development Funds which is generated by the VLTs and divert the funds to the state budget. If this was to happen, expect to see the caliber of racing in Pennsylvania make Monticello look like the Grand Circuit. As bad as this would be for Pennsylvania, the proverbial dominoes will begin to tumble and you will see pressure on other states to raid the 'cookie jar' sending racing into the dark ages. Not only will racing loose the slot revenue but they will loose the wagering dollars which are now being played in the VLTs at the racetracks. It will be the 'perfect storm'.
Hopefully, this action in Pennsylvania will be avoided; for now. However, make no mistake about it, sooner or later the slot money is going to disappear and racing better be prepared. Failure to improve the product will mean racing as we know it (or knew it) will be gone forever. Assuming the racing fund remains intact in Pennsylvania, hopefully people involved in horse racing will finally realize they need to look at the sport itself for improvement. Their future depends on it.
News Item: Slots bypassing Illinois Tracks.
The state of Illinois has approved slot machines for Illinois. Your local bar, restaraunt and truck stop in Illinois will be able to have slots machines. The River Boats have slots. The tracks? Nope. Say goodbye to racing. Guess here is Fairmount Park will be the first to shutter permanently. They already are stopping their current meet this year early due to the legal manuvering of the casinos with money already owed the tracks.
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