Monday, August 3, 2015

McKelvie on Top as Adios Weekend Scrambles the Standings

August 3, 2015 – With the multiplier feature of the 2015 HANA Harness Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge presented by the Bellino Stables, DRF Harness, Hambletonian Society, Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, Northfield Park, Tioga Downs, and Vernon Downs, the potential of the contest standings changing dramatically existed.  At the conclusion of the weekend, those predictions came true. 

After missing Friday night’s contest leg, Mark McKelvie responded with a roar, winning nine of the sixteen legs on Saturday, earning 1,075.9 points, which with his previous 717.6 points thus far has now propelled into first place with a total of 1,793.5, a lead of 126.6 points over Sally Hinckley’s 1,666.9.  Previous leader Bob Zanakis now sits third, with 1,372.3.

Other big movers this week were Gordon Waterstone who moved from seventh to fourth place, Josi Verlingieri (ninth to fifth), Rusty Nash (thirteenth to eighth), Mark Dezii (sixteenth to tenth), and Dennis O’Hara (seventeenth to twelfth).

While McKelvie already had eight winners at the end of the Meadow’s card, his coupe de grace was the fourth race at the Meadowlands where his last and final winner of the day pick in the TVG Trot of Flanagan Memory ($26.40, $9.00, $7.20) earned him a total of 383.4 points.

Standings as of August 1, 2015 - Leg 24
Total Points
Points Earned
Overall
Position
Pos
Handicapper
Prior Week
This Week
Total Points
Last Week
1st
Mark McKelvie
717.60
1,075.90
1,793.50
4th
2nd
Sally Hinckley
1,014.30
652.60
1,666.90
2nd
3rd
Bob Zanakis
1,059.50
312.80
1,372.30
1st
4th
Gordon Waterstone
641.70
442.20
1,083.90
7th
5th
Josi Verlingieri
631.90
450.10
1,082.00
9th
6th
Michael Carter
749.50
275.40
1,024.90
3rd
7th
Ann Stepien
703.00
303.50
1,006.50
5th
8th
Rusty Nash
569.90
436.30
1,006.20
13th
9th
Derick Giwner
618.60
374.30
992.90
10th
10th
Mark Dezii
546.40
416.70
963.10
16th
11th
Brandon Valvo
561.40
395.10
956.50
15th
12th
Earl Paulson
614.20
334.20
948.40
11th
12th
Dennis O'Hara
483.20
446.50
929.70
17th
14th
Garnet Barnsdale
639.00
267.20
906.20
8th
15th
Jay Hochstetler
566.90
322.50
889.40
14th
16th
Bryan Owen
570.00
306.70
876.70
12th
17th
Ray Garnett
693.90
154.70
848.60
6th
18th
Ray Cotolo
362.70
351.70
714.40
18th
19th
Mark Deutsch
203.70
230.30
434.00
19th


This week the contest kicks off on Thursday, with the Whenuwishuponastar early closer final at Mohawk Racetrack and then finishes up on Saturday with the Hambletonian with its minimum of ten contest races.  Handicapper selections, results and standings are available at http://hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.