Harness: Beware of pitfalls when playing the 2-year-olds.

In an era where so much of the wagering dollar shows up on the tote board only after the race has commenced, it is quite difficult to gauge a smart bet from one that is ill-advised. Favorites attract attention no matter what the class, but it would seem that 2-year-old races tend to tilt the bar heavily in favor of those that on paper just look "faster" than their competition. Look no further than Monday (8/10) to find examples of stakes-type juveniles that not only felt the weight of the competition but buckled at unbearably low mutuels.

At Saratoga Harness on Monday, it was trotting colts and geldings on the line going for big money in New York Sire Stakes action. Trainer Bruce Saunders has a potential serious horse in Dee's Red Delicous, who entered Monday's contest with consecutive wins, the last a Sire Stakes affair at Tioga where the Credit Winner-sired gelding was in fact vicious scoring by open lengths in 1:55 4/5. On Monday he faced just five rivals, the most noteworthy was Incommunicado, a NYSS winner at Yonkers but a distant second to Dee’s Red Delicous at Tioga. Dee's Red Delicous, starting from post three, most definitely deserved favoritism, but at 1-2 odds, was he a solid favorite?

What happened in the race, other than Ahundreddollarbill and Jason Bartlett pulling off the upset, was a visual example of why betting on 2-year-olds with limited racing experience at low odds can lead to an awful lot of needless pain and suffering. Unlike his two previous wins over five-eighths tracks, on Monday Dee's Red Delicous was navigating tighter turns for the first time. Though driver Corey Callahan had him regain command after an average opening quarter of 29 and a half of 59 2/5, the horse didn’t seem to be going around the third turn at anywhere near full capacity. Bartlett, sitting in the three-hole at this point, jetted Ahundreddollarbill, a son of Chapter Seven, on attack mode and within a few strides had collared what bettors assumed was a horse that would and should put up a fight. In fact, Dee's Red Delcious couldn’t shift gears quickly enough and broke stride. More important to gamblers is the understanding that odds-on favorites in 2-year-old races often don't get the same respect afforded those in overnights. The Saratoga example here was simply Bartlett reacting quickly when he saw the favorite laboring and taking advantage.

Ahundreddollarbill did trot home in 1:57 4/5 with Bartlett picking up the catch-drive for the first time on this Dan Daley-trained colt that had previously finished second in NYSS action at Yonkers and broke stride at Tioga.

Entering Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for the first time on Monday (8/10) was the incredibly impressive Caviart Audrey, making her first start in the Quaker state after a monstrous debut at The Meadowlands where she collared multiple-Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner Grace Hill on the wire in a 1:51 4/5 clocking. Her 25 4/5 final quarter (something that even happens with trotters these days) had everybody excited about this Nancy Takter-trained filly with an incredible pedigree. That Caviart Audrey would be facing fillies that had already competed multiple times over a five-eighths track didn't seem to be an issue with bettors. The filly by Somebeachsomewhere, out of the champion Darlin's Delight, was backed to 1-10 favoritism on the strength of a sparkling debut performance at The Meadowlands, as well as the steaming-hot trainer-driver tandem of Nancy Takter and Yannick Gingras.

Gingras did what he's accustomed to doing with favorites and that is take his time before moving to the front. On Monday, Caviart Audrey allowed the speed to settle before marching to the front. This way Gingras was able to rate off the 27 2/5 opening quarter and use a pedestrian 29 2/5 mostly-straight track to secure the front. Thebeachiscalling had left the gate in this field and by virtue of the Gingras move had found a comfortable three-hole. This is a spot where most drivers like to sit and wait, especially when they are following a 1-10 favorite on the lead and the 5-1 second choice (Marsala Hanover) in the pocket. Yet Dexter Dunn took nothing for granted as Caviart Audrey and Gingras continued to stall the pace in the third quarter. When Dunn pulled midway down the backstretch I had that "what is he doing?" moment, thinking for sure that Dunn had blown any chance of finishing second and probably would find himself off the ticket with Thebeachiscalling. Dunn put some pressure on the favorite, but after three quarters in 1:25 it didn't appear as if his strategy could work. Then Caviart Audrey did what 2-year-olds that have never been stressed under new conditions sometimes do; she lost her action and began to bear out at the precise time that Dunn and Thebeachiscalling were to her flank. Dunn would have to gather his filly and Gingras did a great job of helping Caviart Audrey regain her poise. Despite losing the lead briefly to Marsala Hanover, she quickly recovered and powered to the wire in front in a sharp 1:52 3/5 clocking.

The judges made the correct call in setting Caviart Audrey fourth behind the filly she impeded on the final turn. This race may eventually be proven a footnote at the start of a brilliant filly’s career.

For my money, 2-year-olds are often tremendous value to play on, especially in moments where it’s more than obvious that a horse must not just take on new rivals but also perform under various new conditions previously unfamiliar to them.

As a parting note, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Vinny Aurigemma at just 72 years of age. Aurigemma was a past leading trainer at Roosevelt Raceway and was the first link for many of my colleagues to live trainers and not just names on the past performance program. Aurigemma was younger than many of his contemporaries and related well to all of the Sports Eye staff at the time. He helped the late Geoff Stein get into the ownership side of the business with the claimer Golden Airway and would go on to much greater heights training the Saturday-night king Doc's Fella.

Rest in Peace Vincent.