Sunday, October 29, 2017

Hinckley Noses Out Horoky in Handicapping Contest


(October 29, 2017) –  In perhaps the busiest three-day (10/26-10/28) week in the Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge, twenty-one races were contested; the Breeders Crown Finals at Hoosier Park plus the final preliminary leg of the Kindergarten Classic at Vernon Downs as a warm up.  When the results were tabulated, Sally Hinckley nosed out Steve Horoky by three points, 115.0 to 112.0.

Horoky drew first blood on Thursday night with his selection of Points North ($14.80) in the 2yo pacing colt division of the Kindergarten Classic.  The selection of Points North and four others allowed Horoky to earn 70 points for the day.  Dennis O’Hara had the same longshot but only a total of three winners which was good for second place for the evening.

Friday night was Hinckley’s turn to draw blood and she blew the other handicappers away for the evening with her selection of Pure Country ($31.00) in the Breeders Crown Final for pacing mares which with four additional winners earned her 75 points.  While two other handicappers had five winners, Hinckley’s net profit of $43.50 was far ahead of her closest competitor.

With a seven-point lead going into the final night of the week’s racing, Horoky was looking to put the week away on Saturday but it was not to be as Ray Cotolo took the checkered flag with a net profit of $57.80 thanks to selecting a trio of longshots; Stay Hungry ($11.00), Breeders Crown 2yo Colt and Gelding pace; Beckhams Z Tam ($11.20), Breeders Crown 3yo Colts and Gelding pace; Split The House ($18.40), Breeders Crown Open pace.  Hinckley managed to pull out the victory for the week with her four winners for Saturday versus Horoky’s double.

For the third week in a row, Rusty Nash leads in the overall standings, just under 48 points ahead of Anne Stepien.  Gordon Waterstone is roughly 4 points further behind in third.   Megan Maccario is in fourth while Sally Hinckley moved up from seventh to fifth place, still in contention with five legs remaining in the contest.
  
Standings thru Saturday, October 28, 2017 - Leg #74

Pos
Handicapper
Total Points Earned
Legs Won
Points Back
Last Week
Streak
1st
Rusty Nash
1,376.20
6

1st
3
2nd
Anne Stepien
1,328.82
9
47.38
2nd

3rd
Gordon Waterstone
1,324.50
10
51.70
3rd

4th
Megan Maccario
1,310.90
9
65.30
4th

5th
Sally Hinckley
1,295.98
9
80.22
7th

6th
Matt Rose
1,278.88
10
97.32
5th

7th
Dennis O’Hara
1,278.85
10
97.35
6th

8th
Steve Horoky
1,222.83
5
153.37
9th

9th
Russ Adams
1,182.54
8
193.66
8th

10th
Ray Garnett
1,074.11
6
302.09
10th

11th
Bryan Owen
1,041.90
9
334.30
11th

12th
Jay Hochstetler
924.50
4
451.70
12th

13th
Michael Carter
868.03
3
508.17
14h

14th
Ray Cotolo
834.33
5
541.87
15th

15th
Terry Wilson
807.47
5
568.73
13th

16th
Rich Mattei
644.30
2
731.90
16th



Next Up: This week ten stakes races will comprise Saturday’s leg, made up from the finals of the Kindergarten Classic from the Meadowlands and the Carl Erskine, Crossroads of America, USS Indianapolis, and Monument Circle finals at Hoosier Park.

The following week, Dover Downs hosts the Matron Stakes for 2yo and 3yo trotters and pacers of both sexes.


The 2017 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge is sponsored by Adam Friedland, DRF Harness, Green Acquisition Corporation, The Hambletonian Society, Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, Northfield Park, Ontario Harness Horse Association, Red Shores Charlottetown/Summerside, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, Wellbourne Farms, and WEG Entertainment.  The contest is administered by HANA Harness, the harness racing division of HANA, the Horseplayers Association of North America.  Fans may follow the challenge by visiting the contest site at http;//hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.  

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Owen Scores Double in Handicapping Contest


(October 22, 2017) –  The old axiom is “It only takes one race”, and it was evident this weekend in the Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge.  What made it strange was this was proven twice this weekend by one handicapper as Bryan Owen was the top handicapper this week.  For the second week in the row, Rusty Nash sits on top of the overall contest with a shuffling of the standings below him.

While Rusty Nash had five winners selected on Friday (10/20) night at Hoosier Park, it was good only for second place as Owen selected Ella Christina ($72.00) in the Breeders Crown elimination for three year old pacing fillies as his lone winner for the evening.  With his selection of the daughter of Western Ideal, Owen picked up a net profit of $98.40 for the evening the dividend for win, place, and show on Ella Christina was $123.60.    

On Saturday (10/21) night, the axiom was even more evident as Sally Hinckley pick seven winners on the Breeders Crown Elimination night card yet ended up with a net loss of $4.90.  However, completing the double was Owen with a net profit of $58.40 despite having no winners for the evening.  This was accomplished thanks to Beckhams Z Tam finishing third which was good for a $92.80 show mutuel, the beneficiary of a failed bridge jumper gambit. 

For the second week in a row, Nash topped the season-long standings, 37.38 points ahead of his nearest competitor Anne Stepien who moved into second place.  Gordon Waterstone moved up one spot into third place while Megan Maccario slipped from second to fourth place. A total of 50.30 points separates first from fourth place meaning the contest may come down to the last day of the contest.  
  
Standings thru Saturday, October 21, 2017 - Leg #71

Pos
Handicapper
Total Points Earned
Legs Won
Points Back
Last Week
Streak
1st
Rusty Nash
1,325.20
6

1st
2
2nd
Anne Stepien
1,287.82
9
37.38
3rd

3rd
Gordon Waterstone
1,275.50
10
49.70
4th

4th
Megan Maccario
1,274.90
9
50.30
2nd

5th
Matt Rose
1,198.88
10
126.32
6th

6th
Dennis O’Hara
1,183.85
10
141.35
5th

7th
Sally Hinckley
1,180.98
8
144.22
7th

8th
Russ Adams
1,143.54
8
181.66
8th

9th
Steve Horoky
1,110.83
4
214.37
9th

10th
Ray Garnett
1,055.11
6
270.09
10th

11th
Bryan Owen
1,025.90
9
299.30
11th

12th
Jay Hochstetler
858.50
4
466.70
12th

13th
Terry Wilson
796.47
5
528.73
15th

14th
Michael Carter
794.03
3
531.17
14th

15th
Ray Cotolo
762.33
4
562.87
13th

16th
Rich Mattei
618.30
2
706.90
16th



Next Up: While the focus will be on the Breeders Crown races on Friday and Saturday (10/27-28), the contest week begins on Thursday (10/26) as the Kindergarten Classic’s fifth and final preliminary leg will be contested for late blooming juveniles on Thursday (10/26) at Vernon Downs.  Hoosier Park will host in addition to the Crown finals The Pegasus for three year old fillies of both gaits on Friday; three year old colts and geldings on Saturday. 

The following week, Saturday (11/4) has an overflow of stakes from the Meadowlands and Hoosier Park of which the ten races will the highest purses will be used for the contest.


The 2017 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge is sponsored by Adam Friedland, DRF Harness, Green Acquisition Corporation, The Hambletonian Society, Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, Northfield Park, Ontario Harness Horse Association, Red Shores Charlottetown/Summerside, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, Wellbourne Farms, and WEG Entertainment.  The contest is administered by HANA Harness, the harness racing division of HANA, the Horseplayers Association of North America.  Fans may follow the challenge by visiting the contest site at http;//hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.