Waterstone Weekly Best; Hochstetler Extends Lead in GC Handicapping Challenge

(April 24, 2016) – In week six of the 2016 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge sponsored by DRF Harness, Green Acquisition Corporation, The Hambletonian Society, Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, Northfield Park, The Raceway at Western Fair District, Red Shores Charlottetown Driving Park, Tioga Downs, and Vernon Downs, Gordon Waterstone edged out several handicappers to be the top handicapper for the week.  With regards to the overall lead, the story remains the same as Jay Hochstetler continues his mastery, extending his lead to 100.13 points over the second place Matt Rose with 389.75 points for the season thus far.

Levy Memorial night left handicappers with five races to display their handicapping chops and by the end of the night, five of the handicappers managed to score hat tricks which made it a horse race for weekly honors.  With 41.10 points, Waterstone edges out the others (with a second and third place finish to go along with his hat trick), moving into fifth place from last week’s tenth place.  Finishing second for the week was overall leader Hochstetler who earned 37.05 points, followed by a dead-heat for third with Dennis O’Hara and Matt Rose both earning 32 points for the week.  Ray Garnett and Dennis O’Hara also had three winners on the card. 

Though shut out from selecting any winners, fourteenth place Joe Bengston managed to have a good week thanks to his selection of Bettor Rock On N in the Levy eligible tilt which earned him 20.2 of his 28.2 weekly points by finishing second.

With only Grand Circuit elimination races this week, the handicappers get a week off before the contest kicks into high gear.  The contest resumes with races on Saturday, May 7 as the road to the Hambletonian kicks off with the finals of the Dexter Cup and Lady Suffolk at Freehold Raceway, followed by the first Sunday (May 8) races of the contest headlined by the Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff at the Meadowlands and a duo of Miami Valley Distaffs for females on both gaits.

As we enter the bye week, the current standings are as follows:

Standings as of April 16, 2016 - Leg #11
Pos	Handicapper	Total Points Prior Week	Points Earned This Week	Overall Total Points	Position Last Week	Points Back
1st	Jay Hochstetler	352.70	37.05	389.75	1st	-
2nd	Matt Rose	257.63	32.00	289.63	3rd	100.13
3rd	Mark Deutsch	264.65	2.80	267.45	2nd	122.30
4th	Dennis O'Hara	195.13	32.00	227.13	4th	162.63
5th	Gordon Waterstone	174.10	41.10	215.20	10th	174.55
6th	Anne Stepien	185.60	24.90	210.50	7th	179.25
7th	Adam Friedland	185.63	16.90	202.53	6th	187.23
8th	Ray C1otolo	187.98	10.80	198.78	5th	190.98
9th	Ray Garnett	168.93	29.40	198.33	12th	191.43
10th	Russ Adams	182.10	10.50	192.60	8th	197.15
11th	Sally Hinckley	178.48	7.70	186.18	9th	203.58
12th	Bryan Owen	152.20	33.05	185.25	13th	204.50
13th	Rusty Nash	171.68	11.50	183.18	11th	206.58
14th	Joe Bengston	143.70	28.20	171.90	14th	217.85
15th	Michael Carter	129.80	19.30	149.10	15th	240.65

For further information regarding the contest, you may visit http://hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com. 

Hochstetler Remains on top of Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge

(April 17, 2016) – After five weeks of the 2016 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge sponsored by DRF Harness, Green Acquisition Corporation, The Hambletonian Society, Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, Northfield Park, The Raceway at Western Fair District, Red Shores Charlottetown Driving Park, Tioga Downs, and Vernon Downs, Jay Hochstetler remains in front; the position he has held since day one.  Hochstetler has an 88.05-point lead over the second place handicapper Mark Deutsch with a score of 352.7 points.  Sitting in the third position is Matt Rose, 95.08 points behind the leader. At this early stage, this trio has gapped the balance of the field as 62.5 points separates the third and fourth positions.

With favorites dominating this weekend’s action, there was little movement in the standings with Dennis O’Hara leading the pack earning 29.08 points, enough to move from seventh to fourth as well as claiming the title of ‘Weekly Leader’.  O’Hara was one of seven handicappers who managed to score 20 points or more this weekend, with the balance of Club 20 being Hochstetler (25.98 points), Ray Garnett (24.5), Gordon Waterstone (24.2), Anne Stepien (23.7), Michael Carter (22.4), and Rusty Nash (20.3).

The same group of horses meet up next week for Finals and Consolations of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Memorial Series, so it’s unlikely there will be any breakouts this coming week.  Once the Grand Circuit schedule heads into the field, one can expect some big moves.

The current standings are as follows:

Standings as of April 16, 2016 - Leg #10
Pos	Handicapper	Total Points Prior Week	Points Earned This Week	Overall Total Points	Position Last Week	Points Back
1st	Jay Hochstetler	326.73	25.98	352.70	1st	-
2nd	Mark Deutsch	245.93	18.73	264.65	2nd	88.05
3rd	Matt Rose	240.33	17.30	257.63	3rd	95.08
4th	Dennis O'Hara	166.05	29.08	195.13	7th	157.58
5th	Ray Cotolo	178.18	9.80	187.98	4th	164.73
6th	Adam Friedland	169.63	16.00	185.63	6th	167.08
7th	Anne Stepien	161.90	23.70	185.60	9th	167.10
8th	Russ Adams	177.10	5.00	182.10	5th	170.60
9th	Sally Hinckley	162.40	16.08	178.48	8th	174.23
10th	Gordon Waterstone	149.90	24.20	174.10	11th	178.60
11th	Rusty Nash	151.38	20.30	171.68	10th	181.03
12th	Ray Garnett	144.43	24.50	168.93	13th	183.78
13th	Bryan Owen	144.70	7.50	152.20	12th	200.50
14th	Joe Bengston	143.70	0.00	143.70	14th	209.00
15th	Michael Carter	107.40	22.40	129.80	15th	222.90

The 2016 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge continues with the finals and consolations of the Matchmaker and Levy Memorial series at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday, March 23.  After a week off, the competition heads to Freehold Raceway, Miami Valley Raceway, and the Meadowlands for more early season stakes action the following weekend.  For further information regarding the contest, you may visit http://hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.