Harness racing: Sharp Horses and Track Trends for April 2-8, 2012

BALMORAL

4/7: 5w, no bias

4/4: 1w, + closers

SHARP@BALMORAL

POCO GRANNY – Second over behind gapping cover off a slow pace, made a sharp brush on the final turn and continued on gamely to just miss with a :26 3/5 final quarter

TONE – Left and tucked, went first over and paced a :54 middle-half trying to get the lead, couldn’t clear and weakened but it was a tough trip

FOUR STARZZZ Z – Was 4th over and finished fast for the place behind the odds-on winner

WESTERN COLE – Had post 9 in first start off the layoff, finished well and should improve

MAYWOOD

4/6: 3w, no bias

4/5: 8w, + speed

SHARP@MAYWOOD

LAZY LIZARD*** - Left from post 7 and was parked the mile without cover battling for the lead through torrid fractions, held gamely for the show

FREEHOLD

4/7: 7w, + speed

4/6: 5w, no bias

4/5: 6w, no bias

MONTICELLO

4/5: 4w, no bias

4/4: 4w, + speed, 8 races, 7 leavers won and 1 horse won with a first over trip

4/3: 4w, + speed, 1 pocket winner, 4 wire to wire winners, 3 first over winners in 8 races

4/2: 3w, no bias

SHARP@MONTICELLO

LATE BLOOMER*** – Left from post 6 and was used hard pressing the pace, couldn’t clear and was parked the mile without cover, held gamely for the show

ALLIKAIT FIGHTER*** – Had post 7 and was third over behind a sluggish flow, finished stoutly for the place

LADY ON THE ATTACK – Sharp mare had a long uncovered trip and lost as the favorite but held okay considering

SIXTH SENSE – Had the rail and left in :27 4/5, yielded, regained with a brush at the half and drew off

NORTHFIELD PARK

4/7: 8w, + speed

4/6: 5w, no bias

4/3: 6w, no bias

4/2: 6w, no bias

SHARP @ NORTHFIELD

SAN ZAMBELLO – Had a tough parked-out trip from post 8 and held well

DOVER

4/5: 5w, no bias

4/4: 4w, no real bias but only one horse won rallying on the outside, leavers, pocket horses, first over horses won 13 of the 15 races

4/3: 5w, no bias

4/2: 8w, + speed

SHARP@DOVER

SCOTTIE C – Went :26 3/5 to the quarter then paced a :27 3/5 second quarter and was strong all the way in a sharp wire to wire win; the track was speed favoring, but there are a lot of speed favoring cards during the summer, so a horse with this type of front end speed is tough

BAD MAN SAM – Was third over behind dying cover, made a long sustained three wide move to take the lead on the final turn and drew clear sharply against the speed bias

RACING NAKED*** - Had post 7 and was parked the mile without cover, held well to miss by only 3 lengths

GET JAZZED – Was out the mile from post 8 and finished gamely from an impossible spot

OPHIUCHUS N – Left from post 8 and was parked forcing a hot pace, remained parked and held okay

CHESTER

4/6: 6w, no bias

4/5: 2w, no bias

4/4: 3w, no bias

SHARP@CHESTER

TOTALALITARIAN – Paced a :27 2/5 third quarter first up and just missed in a game effort

THE REAL DION*** – Left quickly and parked a horse to the quarter, yielded, was shuffled out of contention

LUV A LOT HANOVER*** – Had post 8, got moving early on a long quarter-move and was parked most of the mile, dueled for the lead through the last half and held okay considering

VOICE OF TRUTH – Had post 8, left, tucked, went first over with a strong :26 3/5 brush to take control and drew off to a sharp win

MEADOWS

4/6: 3w, no bias

4/4: 6w, no bias

4/3: 5w, no bias

4/2: 6w, no bias

SHARP@MEADOWS

VOCAL HANOVER – Had post 8 and was looped leaving and parked the mile without cover, held well

FOX VALLEY ARMOR*** – Had post 6, left well and was stung to the lead in :26 2/5, set a torrid pace under heavy pressure and lost by less than a length

BORDER FIGHTING – Was parked past a :53 4/5 half from post 9, finally found a tuck and excusably tired

STAGS LEAP – Trotter left from post 8 and was used hard in a speed duel, held well until excusably tiring during the final quarter

POCONO DOWNS

4/7: 8w, + speed

4/6: 5w, no bias

4/4: 4w, no bias

4/2: 7w, + speed, leavers did very well

SHARP@POCONO

GOTTA LOVE HIM – Had post 7 and weak cover and closed well against the bias

TOUCH THE ROCK*** - Left from post 7 and was three wide part of the first turn, tucked in the pocket at the quarter which was in :26, pulled the pocket approaching the half, powered to the lead down the back with a bold third quarter and drew off impressively

ALLAMERICAN INCA – First over into a fast last half challenging the 6-5 winner over a speed favoring track, dug in gamely to be second best

BIG BAY POINT – Left from post 7 and was used hard to clear past a :26 3/5 opening quarter, set a fast pace under second half pressure and gave way grudgingly late

YONKERS

4/7: 5w, + speed, slight edge to speed on Saturday but very speed favoring for the week, 43 of the 59 races (73 percent), were won by a leaver, either the front runner or the pocket horse, 7 horses won from first over; only 4 horses won off a cover trip (2nd over)

4/6: 7w, + speed

4/5: 6w, ++ speed, all 11 winners were leavers, 6 wire to wire, 5 pocket winners

4/3: 5w, + speed, leavers and first over horses

4/2: 8w, ++ speed

SHARP@YONKERS

DALLENBACH HANOVER – Blasted down the pike from the rail, paced a :27 3/5 third quarter and held on gamely

RODEO RED*** – Trotter had post 7 and made a bold middle-move which included a three wide brush to clear a gapper, engaged the heavy favorite through a quick third quarter and held well

DIAMOND DAN N – Was third over from post 7 and finished fast to just miss

STONEBRIDGE ROCKET – Left from post 6 and was torched to a :26 2/5 opener, set a hot pace and excusably tired

AVENUE HANOVER*** – Left from post 7 and was parked to the lead in :26 3/5, gave way grudgingly late to the 6-5 pocketed favorite

BRADEN – Had no shot third over behind weak cover but finished fast for the show

JERSEY DAN – Was 7 lengths back early then went first over on a long tough journey pressing the 1-10 winner, held okay

PIO POWER – Trotter had post 7 and picked up horrible cover, rallied wide and finished gamely

ELECTRIC OUI – Had post 7, left quickly and was three wide around the first turn, took command approaching the quarter in :26 3/5, set a fast pace under mild pressure and held on gamely under mild encouragement

JERRY’S BROWN GOLD – Left and tucked on the first turn, went first over pushing a fast pace and held well

*** = extra-sharp preferred plays