(April 10, 2016) – Week four 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 in the books, Ray Cotolo took advantage of longshots in the
Blue Chip Matchmaker Series Friday night to leapfrog into fourth place from fifteenth
place.
With his 118.68 points for
the week, Cotolo was the top handicapper for the week while Jay Hochstetler
continues to be the overall leader with 326.73 points, 80.8 points in front of
his closest competitors Mark Deutsch (245.93), closely followed by Matt Rose
(240.33) who was just behind the duo in third.
Honorable mention goes to Russ Adams whose 65.1 points for the past
weekend moved him from twelfth to fifth place.
While running off the board
in the last of the Matchmaker series, Cotolo took advantage of the first two
races by selecting CarolsIdeal ($19.80) in the fifth race and
Yagonnakissmeornot ($37.80) in the sixth to earn 110.88 points of his 118.68 of
his weekend total. Russ Adams had only
one winner on Friday but made the most of it by earning 58.8 of his weekend total
of 65.1 by connecting with Yagonnakissmeornot.
With Saturday night having
favorites winning three of the four contest divisions it was hard to make any
real movement based solely on Saturday’s performance and it was evident by the
performances of Sally Hinckley and Matt Rose as both earned 29.85 of their
weekly total, having three out of four winners on Saturday, missing only in the
fifth race where Take It Back Terry finished a neck back denying both of them
the evening grand slam. Eight other handicappers
had two out of four winners Saturday evening.
The current standings are as
follows:
|
Standings as of April
9, 2016 - Leg #8
|
||||||
|
Pos
|
Handicapper
|
Total Points
Prior Week |
Points Earned
This Week |
Overall
Total Points |
Position
Last Week |
Points
Back |
|
1st
|
Jay Hochstetler
|
286.10
|
40.63
|
326.73
|
1st
|
-
|
|
2nd
|
Mark Deutsch
|
213.15
|
32.78
|
245.93
|
2nd
|
80.80
|
|
3rd
|
Matt Rose
|
197.98
|
42.35
|
240.33
|
3rd
|
86.40
|
|
4th
|
Ray Cotolo
|
59.50
|
118.68
|
178.18
|
15th
|
148.55
|
|
5th
|
Russ Adams
|
112.00
|
65.10
|
177.10
|
12th
|
149.63
|
|
6th
|
Adam Friedland
|
136.88
|
32.75
|
169.63
|
6th
|
157.10
|
|
7th
|
Dennis O'Hara
|
141.20
|
24.85
|
166.05
|
4th
|
160.68
|
|
8th
|
Sally Hinckley
|
125.45
|
36.95
|
162.40
|
9th
|
164.33
|
|
9th
|
Anne Stepien
|
133.93
|
27.98
|
161.90
|
8th
|
164.83
|
|
10th
|
Rusty Nash
|
137.48
|
13.90
|
151.38
|
5th
|
175.35
|
|
11th
|
Gordon Waterstone
|
125.15
|
24.75
|
149.90
|
10th
|
176.83
|
|
12th
|
Bryan Owen
|
133.70
|
11.00
|
144.70
|
7th
|
182.03
|
|
13th
|
Ray Garnett
|
91.00
|
53.43
|
144.43
|
13th
|
182.30
|
|
14th
|
Joe Bengston
|
119.50
|
24.20
|
143.70
|
11th
|
183.03
|
|
15th
|
Michael Carter
|
78.48
|
28.93
|
107.40
|
14th
|
219.33
|
The 2016 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping
Challenge continues with the fifth and final preliminary round of the
Matchmaker and Levy Memorial series at Yonkers Raceway on Friday (4/15) and
Saturday (4/16). For further information
regarding the contest, you may visit http://hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.
