Competition Heating Up in HANA Harness’ Grand Circuit Challenge

 May 26, 2015 -  Nine legs into 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, finds Michael Carter holding on to his early lead with 319.7 points but as could be expected finds himself with company at the top.  Two other handicappers find themselves within a hundred points of Carter; Anne Stepien, thirteenth place as of the last report now finds herself vaulted into second place with 283.6 points; Bryan Owen, third in the last report remains in the show spot with 268 points.  In addition to these two handicappers, five others are laying in contention in the 200s. 

Prior to this week, with single race dates, movement has been slight but as stakes action has kicked into high gear, dates have multiple races and this is where the points start adding up fast and it showed this past weekend.  On Sunday, three handicappers (Ray Garnett, Josi Verlingieri, and Bob Zanakis) went a perfect three-for-three earning 145.8 points thanks to victories by Great Vintage, Radar Contact, and Father Patrick in the trio of invitational races at Harrah’s Philadelphia.  Stepien and Brandon Valvo, going two for three earned 64.2 and 51.8 points respectively.

On Monday DRF Harness’ Derick Giwner and Stepien went four for four in the Graduate series races at Tioga Downs crediting each with 128.4 points as a result of selecting Shake It Cerry, Opulent Yankee, Doo Wop Hanover, and Rockeyed Optimist to win their respective divisions.

After the first nine divisions, the standings show:

Standings as of Monday, May 25, 2015 - Leg 9
		Total Points	Points Earned	Overall	Position
Pos	Handicapper	Prior Week	This Week	Total Points	Last Week
1st	Michael Carter	331.70	45.60	377.30	1st
2nd	Ann Stepien	91.00	192.60	283.60	8th
3rd	Bryan Owen	173.30	94.70	268.00	2nd
4th	Josi Verlingieri	87.60	179.80	267.40	9th
5th	Gordon Waterstone	162.30	94.20	256.50	3rd
6th	Ray Garnett	69.70	182.70	252.40	15th
7th	Derick Giwner	111.20	137.90	249.10	5th
8th	Bob Zanakis	50.80	175.30	226.10	17th
9th	Sally Hinckley	129.80	53.60	183.40	4th
10th	Brandon Valvo	100.10	66.20	166.30	6th
11th	Mark Dezii	76.00	84.40	160.40	13th
12th	Jay Hochstetler	85.20	68.00	153.20	11th
13th	Dennis O'Hara	80.30	69.80	150.10	12th
14th	Garnet Barnsdale	98.00	38.80	136.80	7th
15th	Earl Paulson	86.30	50.00	136.30	10th
16th	Rusty Nash	71.10	58.20	129.30	14th
17th	Mark McKelvie	52.80	33.20	86.00	16th
18th	Mark Deutsch	50.50	34.30	84.80	18th
19th	Ray Cotolo	48.20	33.10	81.30	19th

This week (May 29 and 30), the Grand Circuit challenge heads north to The Raceway at Western Fair District for the season closing Molson Pace on Friday then heads to Yonkers Raceway for the Art Rooney Pace and Lismore Pace on Saturday for three year olds of both sexes.  The following week finds the contest at June 5 at the Meadows for the Currier & Ives for three year old filly trotters and June 6 at a quartet of tracks; The Meadows for the Currier & Ives (three year old open trotters); The Meadowlands for the Graduate Series (four year old open pacers and trotters); Scioto Downs for the Charlie Hill (four year old open trotter); Mohawk Raceway for the Somebeachsomewhere (three year old open pace).

For details on the specific races and other information regarding the contest, visit http://hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com. 

Carter Takes Early Lead in HANA Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge

With four legs 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, Buffalo Raceway announcer Michael Carter has taken an early lead with 319.70 points.  Carter managed to surge to the lead due in a large part to his performance on Saturday afternoon where he had three winners, including Lady Suffolk second division winner, Northern Obsession which paid $46.20 to win.   Carter would have gone four for four on Saturday if not for his selection in the Dexter Cup, Divisionist finishing second.  Other performers of note were Bryan Owen and Gordon Waterstone who went three for four, alas without selecting Northern Obsession.  The current standings after four legs are:

Standings as of Sunday, May 3 - Leg 4
		Total Points	Points Earned	Overall	Position
Pos	Handicapper	Prior Week	This Week	Total Points	Last Week
1st	Michael Carter	11.60	308.10	319.70	13th (tie)
2nd	Gordon Waterstone	43.50	105.20	148.70	2nd
3rd	Bryan Owen	39.70	107.30	147.00	5th
4th	Sally Hinckley	48.20	47.70	95.90	1st
5th	Derick Giwner	33.90	58.20	92.10	8th
6th	Brandon Valvo	40.90	51.00	91.90	4th
7th	Earl Paulson	43.20	34.90	78.10	3rd
8th	Ann Stepien	11.60	65.70	77.30	13th (tie)
9th	Mark Dezii	37.00	34.60	71.60	6th
10th	Josi Verlingieri	33.40	31.70	65.10	9th
11th	Dennis O'Hara	18.10	45.20	63.30	11th
12th	Jay Hochstetler	4.20	58.60	62.80	18th
13th	Rusty Nash	35.70	21.20	56.90	7th
14th	Garnet Barnsdale	8.00	46.90	54.90	15th (tie)
15th	Mark McKelvie	5.90	46.90	52.80	17th
16th	Mark Deutsch	11.90	38.60	50.50	12th
17th	Ray Garnett	31.80	18.10	49.90	10th
18th	Ray Cotolo	8.00	40.20	48.20	15th (tie)
19th	Bob Zanakis	0.00	37.20	37.20	19th

Three new handicappers join the fray, two replacing handicappers forced to scratch due to circumstances beyond their control, while one handicapper is a new addition.  Coming off the also eligible list is Bob Zanakis who is a handicapper familiar to followers of this series and Jay Hochstetler, an intern at the Horsemen and Fair World and an assistant trainer.  Added to the roster is Mark Deutsch, a former owner and trainer who now enjoys handicapping harness racing primarily on the WEG circuit.  As substitutes, Hochstetler takes over representing Rainhill Sanctuary, while Zanakis assumes representing Helping Hearts Equine Rescue.  Mark Deutsch chose New Vocations as his rescue of choice. 

Two new sponsors have joined the contest.  HANA welcomes Red Shores Charlottetown as a Silver sponsor while an Anonymous donor has signed on as a double Bronze sponsor.  Thanks to these additions, the contest handicappers are playing for a HANA Harness-record $5,700 in prize money to be distributed to the top three handicapper's selected standardbred rescues and Canadian rescues selected by the Canadian sponsors. 

This coming week, there are no events but the Handicapping Challenge returns the following week for events Saturday-Monday (5/16-5/18).  For details on the specific races and other information regarding the contest, visit http://hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.