Derick Giwner

I spent nearly seven hours in the car last week driving to and from Harrah’s Philadelphia for Super Stakes Sunday. I like to think I’m a patient guy, but there is only so much road time and traffic one person can endure. While at Philly, I spoke with a few horsemen who went over their recent itinerary. Driver Brian Sears was in New Jersey on Friday; Canada on Saturday; Philly on Sunday. Then he had a trip to New York on Monday and Tuesday; Indiana on Wednesday; Philly on Thursday; New York on Friday.

There are times when I wonder whether I write enough handicapping articles. With Harness Night School in full swing, I have been contributing some video content. The first two topics dealt with drivers and trainers, which is pretty cut and dry. Now we start getting into the meat and potatoes. Starting next week the topics become more complex: Class/Racing Conditions/Shippers; Pace/Times/Track Bias; Trip Handicapping. It is the final topic which I want to touch on this week in print/online.

Hambletonian Day provided plenty: World Records; Unexpected Upsets; Budding Stars. With all due respect to the world record setters, 2-year-old trotting filly To Dream On put on the most visibly impressive show of the afternoon. Behind bad cover and five lengths behind at the head of the stretch, the daughter of Credit Winner powered through the lane to win by a bit more than a length.

In case you missed it, the Hambletonian is tomorrow! Every harness fan will have their eyes firmly planted on the track at the Meadowlands on Saturday watching the best trotters and pacers in the country do battle. For those thoroughbred players out there who have considered rolling the dice on a few harness plays, Saturday is the day! Hambletonian Day has the biggest pools and best wagering opportunities you will find throughout the harness year. There are four guaranteed multi-race wagers on the card. Race 1- $25k Pick Five

They are dropping like flies in the Adios. An original field of eight has been reduced to just six with the subtraction of Hurrikane Kingcole prior to the draw and Allstar Legend on Friday afternoon. Hurrikane Kingcole elected to skip the $500,000 highlight of the Meadows’s schedule for a softer spot in the New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands. Trainer John McDermott felt his star 3-year-old colt did not like the track surface and elected to go elsewhere. According to a press release sent out Friday afternoon, Allstar Legend will miss the final due to sickness.