Best Bet – (3) TIPSY IN DIXIE – Race 7
Spot Play – (8) STANFORD SEELSTER – Race 4
20-Cent Pick 4 – Race 1 – 4,5/1,2,4,5/3,4/2,8 = $6.40
Race 1- If (4) POLLAR HALL repeats his qualifying mile from August 20th, his rivals here are racing for 2nd. (5) SCHRADER HANOVER brings good form in from Grand River and he has a decent chance to notch his second win of 2020 here with McClure in the bike. (7) RIDDLE ME MISS has no luck with the draw again and she is likely to close for a smaller share. (8) CD MAX is frequently third or fourth; using underneath in the Super.
Race 2 – (4) FLANAGAN DESTINY gets to drop to the Grassroots level and she should get a much better result here; top call. (1) WARRAWEE WELCOME has post advantage and she should be the one to catch and beat. She’s on my Catch Driver Pick 4 ticket. (2) TOP OF THE BAR merits a look getting McClure, an inside post and coming off a win. (5) LIFEINTHESLAMMER unleashed a big late kick to break her maiden in Grassroots action at Mohawk Park and she’s another in with a chance here.
Race 3 – (3) DEPUTY SEELSTER made two moves to win here in good time last week and he looks good to repeat. (4) COMING YOUR WAY shows two straight wins from tough posts two and three starts back and she should be the one the choice needs to fend off late. (2) MACH N LOAD brings good form in from Clinton and he can take a lot of air and keep advancing; exotics factor. (5) SHARK IDEA is worth a look for the Tri and Super picking up McClure to drive.
Race 4 – (8) STANFORD SEELSTER is a $40,000 London Selected sale buy who is a full-brother to $237,000 earner Soiree Seelster who won an OSS Gold in her fourth start. If he can get a good start from the second tier, he has a very good chance here at first asking. (2) SPECTACULOUS paced his back 1/2 in 57 1/5 in his August 25th qualifier and that should play well at this track; using. (5) ONE DRINK AGO is likely to show speed here again but I prefer to use him underneath. (1) ARDYNE GRAYSEE can improve in this second start; consider for the bottom of the Tri and Super.
Race 5 – (1) DOING IT ALL can move up sharply here drawing the rail and Byron may try to send her right down the road. (3) ALL MUSCLE N SASS has shown improvement with McClure driving and she should be a big threat here. (6) KADILLAC GIRL can go better here despite drawing widest and she should make it into the Tri. (4) SNOWFALLA figures to take another share in this spot.
Race 6 – (2) EATAAMS TRAUMA comes off a sharp first-over win here and she gets the call to repeat. (1) EATAAMS ELLIE should benefit from drawing inside and this could be an all-Eataams Exacta. (3) DESTINY CRUISE is almost sure to make front leaving the gate here from a better post than she had last time and she is another in with a good shot in a contentious race. (8) BEARY YU VON should be coming on late to take another smaller share.
Race 7 – (3) TIPSY IN DIXIE raced well in a Gold race last time and she should be tough to beat back in with Grassroots foes. (1) WHOLE LOTTA LOVIN got a clean line last time now she draws best. Improvement is likely for her here. (2) FORTUNE TELLERS K should get a spot near the front here and stick around for a slice. (5) LIMINARY HANOVER is another who can start in the top four and land in the Super.
Race 8 – (3) HOLLYS TREASURE gets his nose back on the gate here and that gives him a decent chance in a field where he seems to fit well; top call. (4) KD ROSES should move up here in a race that should go about three seconds slower than her last start. (2) HES A LITTLETERROR should get a good position leaving and ride that to a spot in the Tri. (6) T J MACHS ME is worth a look for the bottom of the Super in this spot.
Race 9 – This is a good spot for (1) MISSTWINKLINSJONES to head to the front and go right down the road. Expect a big speed try. (8) ST LADS ELEKTRA has drawn poorly in every start but in this race, she may get right on the choice’s helmet early and she could spice up the exotic payoffs. (7) RHYTHM SEELSTER comes off a sharp try but from this post she might get hung out early. I’ll play to beat her out of the Exacta in this spot. (5) ONECENTFROMHEAVEN will be passing some of these late and she should be in the Tri or Super.
Race 10 – (4) PAY LATER draws slightly better here and he may roll by these in the final 1/4. (1) FACE OF WAR is likely heading straight to the front leaving the gate and he should be the one to catch. (3) WAVE THAT BANNER can start better here, and he will likely pass many of these in the back 1/2. He has some upset potential. (8) TALADEGA SEELSTER loses a spot on the gate and the top driver here. I’ll bet to beat him out of the Tri.
Race 11 - (3) MERCENARY meets a field he can handle here and Ketros should be blasting with him; top call. (2) MARGIE VALINTINE raced tough against mares at Hiawatha last time and she can be part of this Exacta. (1) INVITATION TODREAM can get a good trip here starting from the best post and he's on my Tri ticket. (5) AMAZON DRAGON should be passing a few of these late to land in the Tri or Super.
Photo by John Watkins
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Garnet Barnsdale is a veteran handicapper, bettor and racing writer who has worked as an analyst for DRF Harness for the past five years. He is also the current President of the Canadian Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association.
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