(September
25, 2016) – Concluding nine consecutive days
of handicapping, the HANA Harness handicappers slogged their way through the
last week 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, and
when all was said and done, Dennis O’Hara took home top honors for the week
with 206.65 points. Finishing second for
the week was Sally Hinckley with 184.6 points with overall leader Jay
Hochstetler earning show honors with 149.88 points.
Despite the relatively poor showing for the week, Matt Rose
remains in the top spot of the second-half leader board with 946.08 points,
ahead of Russ Adams whose second half tally of 798.75 noses out Hochstetler’s
794.33. Overall, Hochstetler remains comfortably
in front with 2,583.43 points, 535.3 ahead of Rose (2,048.13 pts.), followed by
Adams (1,979.68 pts.).
There were no individual plays of note this week, but O’Hara
put the week away with a perfect 6 for 6 on Saturday which earned him 105.3 of his
206.65 points for the week. Hinckley and
Michael Carter were one win behind with 5 out of 6 on their cards earning 78
and 74.8 points respectively.
|
2nd Half and Overall
Standings
|
|||||||
|
Position
|
Handicapper
|
Points This Week
|
Total Points
|
Points Back
|
Overall Position
|
Overall Points
|
Overall Points Back
|
|
1st
|
Matt Rose
|
74.90
|
946.08
|
-
|
2nd
|
2048.13
|
535.30
|
|
2nd
|
Russ Adams
|
85.10
|
798.75
|
147.33
|
3rd
|
1979.68
|
603.75
|
|
3rd
|
Jay Hochstetler (FHW)
|
149.88
|
794.33
|
151.75
|
1st
|
2583.43
|
-
|
|
4th
|
Sally Hinckley
|
184.60
|
792.90
|
153.18
|
4th
|
1962.78
|
620.65
|
|
5th
|
Ray Garnett
|
75.73
|
744.98
|
201.10
|
11th
|
1533.75
|
1,049.68
|
|
6th
|
Dennis O'Hara
|
206.65
|
709.85
|
236.23
|
5th
|
1886.75
|
696.68
|
|
7th
|
Bryan Owen
|
83.35
|
663.03
|
283.05
|
10th
|
1640.30
|
943.13
|
|
8th
|
Adam Friedland
|
123.03
|
605.80
|
340.28
|
6th
|
1851.95
|
731.48
|
|
9th
|
Gordon Waterstone
|
124.63
|
588.43
|
357.65
|
8th
|
1756.90
|
826.53
|
|
10th
|
Michael Carter
|
140.48
|
568.13
|
377.95
|
9th
|
1660.68
|
922.75
|
|
11th
|
Mark Deutsch
|
95.00
|
531.98
|
414.10
|
12th
|
1510.18
|
1,073.25
|
|
12th
|
Rusty Nash
|
91.55
|
511.13
|
434.95
|
7th
|
1807.28
|
776.15
|
|
13th
|
Joe Bengston
|
111.78
|
490.38
|
455.70
|
13th
|
1405.73
|
1,177.70
|
|
14th
|
Anne Stepien
|
105.95
|
468.98
|
477.10
|
14th
|
1405.48
|
1,177.95
|
|
15th
|
Ray Cotolo
|
96.70
|
448.65
|
497.43
|
15th
|
1244.18
|
1,339.25
|
After this grueling period, the HANA Handicappers have an ‘easier’
week with races Thursday (9/29) thru Sunday (10/2) as the Grand Circuit visits
The Red Mile with The Bluegrass Stakes for 2 and 3yo pacers and trotters of
both sexes the feature event while at Dayton Raceway, older pacers and trotters
will compete in the Dayton Pacing and Trotting Derbies.
Racing
fans may continue getting the handicappers’ selections and other
contest-related information such as the complete standings from HANA Harness’
contest website http://hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.
