Harness: Meadowlands, Yonkers reviving the high-priced claimers

High-priced claiming races have been a rarity in the past, but in the last few months they have gained popularity. At the Meadowlands this Saturday, 19 horses entered a $75,000-$100,000 claiming handicap, forcing racing secretary Scott Warren to split the two into $33,000 divisions, with the top earners this week assured a spot in a rich final on December 11.

Trainer Travis Alexander entered two into the fray and is more than enthusiastic of the opportunity.

"It's fantastic," said Alexander. "I think it's great for the business."

For Alexander, whose stable is poised for a record-setting year, the benefits of racing for a high price tag clearly outweigh the risks.

"It's an opportunity to get more horses raced," said Alexander.

As for the risky part that allows others to purchase your horse, Alexander sees it more as a win-win.

"If you're getting six figures for a horse, that's pretty good," said Alexander, who had one claimed a few weeks back for $100,000. "It was a surprise for sure losing Oakwoodnitownit IR. Other than Western Fame being taken back and forth a few times, there hadn't been a horse taken for $75,000."

Those claims took place at Yonkers, where the high-priced tags are a regularity on the Monday programs. On December 6 there are a pair of $75,000 claimers, and one division each at the $50,000 and $100,000 levels.

While getting a horse claimed is a rarity, the idea that owners are willing to claim a horse for that price suggests that the marketplace is working well, and Alexander understands why.

"When you claim a horse at this level you've got a horse that's a Saturday night horse at the Meadowlands or a Monday night horse at Yonkers," Alexander said. "It's a great opportunity for a buyer or partners to go for a top-end horse that may turn into an Open pacer."

In regard to Alexander's pair on Saturday at the Meadowlands, the trainer believes that Benji's Best, entered for a $75,000 tag in the ninth race and second division of the claiming handicap, has a big upside despite the fact that he was only at the $35,000 level in his last win at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on October 23.

"It was coming to the end of the Pocono meet," said Alexander. "We'd had him before, and he'd won like eight races for us, so I wanted to have him back."

Benji's Best (post four) moved to race at Yonkers for his last four starts and went winless racing primarily against $50,000 claimers.

"I'm not sure the turns did him any favors," said Alexander. "I think he'll be much better over the big track."

While Benji's Best may improve, he'll also need to step up some against some higher-priced horses that include a pair entered at the $100,000 level, specifically Save Me A Dance (post nine) and J M Mandamin (post 10).

The larger stables tend to dominate the entry box in the Meadowlands high-priced claimers on Saturday night. Trainer Jenn Bongiorno offers a pair from her stable in Stars Align A and Vettel N for a $150,000 price tag in the $37,500 event carded as race 10. Warren drew seven horses for that price point. Leading trainer Ron Burke had four entered in the three contests.

While owners and trainers do get the benefit of calling the shots when it comes to the level they value their stock, bettors have been rewarded as well. Last week, Revolver N surprised a similar field at odds of 72-1 for trainer Michael Shults, who quickly put the horse back in the box this week while elevating his suggested price to $90,000. The move pushes Revolver N to post seven in the sixth race division where he'll meet up with some high-class foes in Komodo Beach (post eight) and Caviart Luca (post nine), as well as six other more moderately-priced rivals.

Alexander is hopeful that racing secretaries can spread the wealth around and perhaps offer high-priced events for trotters and pacing fillies and mares.

"They carded a $50,000 claimer for fillies and mares at Yonkers last night (November 30), and Tim Tetrick's mare got claimed," said Alexander, referring to Rockn Philly, who was taken for $60,000.

Considering that two decades ago high-priced claimers were a mainstay at the Meadowlands and as recently as a year ago they were non-existent, it seems that the tides have shifted once again and competitive claiming races are back in vogue.