Sunday, September 24, 2017

Waterstone, Rose Surge in Hambletonian Society GC Handicapping Challenge

(September 24, 2017) –  With seven straight days of Grand Circuit racing, the potential for a handicapper getting hot and making a move came to fruition as Gordon Waterstone and Matt Rose surged into contention in the Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge as Waterstone won top honors for the week while Rusty Nash continued in the lead for the overall championship for the second week in a row.

While Nash remained in the top spot with 1,038.2 points for the season, when the dust settled, Rose earned 187.5 points good for second place for the week, allowing him to move from fourth to second with 1,025.88 points.  The weekly leader Waterstone earned 224.5 points, giving him 1,001.5 points overall, allowing him to jump from seventh to third place in the overall contest.  Steve Horoky earned the show spot for the week with 158.5 points. 

With twenty contest dates remaining, any handicapper has a chance to move into a cashing position with a hot streak.  With six handicappers within a hundred points of the lead, the battle for number one has the potential of being fought for till the end. 
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Standings thru Saturday, September 23, 2017 - Leg #59
Pos
Handicapper
Total Points Earned
Legs Won
Last Week
Streak
1st
Rusty Nash
1,038.20
6
1st
2
2nd
Matt Rose
1,025.88
10
4th
3rd
Gordon Waterstone
1,001.50
9
7th
4th
Megan Maccario
983.90
8
2nd
5th
Russ Adams
959.04
8
5th
6th
Dennis O’Hara
952.85
9
6th
7th
Anne Stepien
917.82
7
3rd
8th
Sally Hinckley
864.98
7
8th
9th
Steve Horoky
861.83
4
10th
10th
Ray Garnett
809.11
4
9th
11th
Bryan Owen
774.90
6
11th
12th
Jay Hochstetler
690.50
4
13th
13th
Terry Wilson
652.47
5
12th
14th
Ray Cotolo
568.33
3
14th
15th
Michael Carter
559.53
3
15th
16th
Rich Mattei
448.30
2
6th


Next Up: Grand Circuit action moves to The Red Mile for their eight-day Grand Circuit meet with racing this week Thursday through Sunday September 28 thru October 1) with the Bluegrass Stakes being contested for two and three year olds of both gaits and sexes.  In addition to Red Mile racing, Friday has the Dayton Pacing and Trotting Derbies for aged horses on the slate along with the Simpson stakes for 2yo filly trotters and pacers at Harrah’s Philadelphia.  Saturday is the last date with special non-Grand Circuit races on the schedule with the Northlands Filly Stake and Western Canada Pacing Derby for 3yo pacers at Northlands Park being contested.  Sunday’s Simpson stakes for 2yo colt pacers and trotters at Harrah’s supplements The Red Mile stakes.

The following week features week two of The Red Mile meet with stakes such as the International Stallion, Allerage Farms TVG, Glen Garnsey Memorial, Tattersalls, Kentucky Futurity and Kentucky Filly Futurity to be contested.


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, September 17, 2017

Stepien Dominates Week in GC Handicapping Challenge

(September 16, 2017) – Anne Stepien continues to ride her recent streak to be the top handicapper for the week in the Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge moving from 6th to 3rd place overall thanks to her 103.67 point tally for the period of September 13-15.  In the overall contest, Rusty Nash holds on to the overall lead for the second week straight, albeit with a shrinking lead of 0.80 points.

On Wednesday (9/13) six handicappers dead-heated for the night, selecting Blazin Britches ($3.80) in the Nadia Lobell at Hoosier Park.  Each handicapper selecting Blazin Britches, including Stepien, earned 21.67 points for the evening.

Friday (9/15) was another Kindergarten Night at the Meadowlands where ten of the eleven races were divisions of the Kindergarten Classic.  Gordon Waterstone was best with six winners for the evening, besting Ray Cotolo (2nd) and Steve Horoky (3rd) based on net profit.  Stepien ran out of the money but still earned 22 points with four winners for the evening.

Saturday (9/16) was a big stakes night at Mohawk Racetrack and eight handicappers had two out of four races tabbed so it came to net profit in determining placing points awaarded.  Stepien bested the octet by selecting Blue Moon Stride ($14.30).   While Terry Wilson had no winners for the evening, he finished second by cashing in all four races with Dream Together ($3.40; second in Elegantimage), Long Tom ($4.20; third in Canadian Trotting Classic), L A Delight ($8.50 and $4.60; second in Milton), and JL Cruze ($7.50 and $3.90; second in Maple Leaf Trot).

In the year to date contest, Nash leads with 905.70 points, ahead of Megan Maccario’s 904.90.  Stepien now sits in third with a total of 848.82.
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Standings thru Saturday, September 16, 2017 - Leg #52
Pos
Handicapper
Total Points Earned
Legs Won
Last Week
Streak
1st
Rusty Nash
905.70
6
1st
2
2nd
Megan Maccario
904.90
8
2nd

3rd
Anne Stepien
848.82
7
6th

4th
Matt Rose
838.38
8
3rd

5th
Russ Adams
824.04
7
5th

6th
Dennis O’Hara
806.85
8
4th

7th
Gordon Waterstone
777.00
7
8th

8th
Sally Hinckley
732.98
6
7th

9th
Ray Garnett
724.11
4
9th

10th
Steve Horoky
703.33
3
10th

11th
Bryan Owen
659.90
5
11th

12th
Terry Wilson
595.47
5
12th

13th
Jay Hochstetler
569.50
3
12th

14th
Ray Cotolo
553.33
3
14th

15th
Michael Carter
472.53
3
15th

16th
Richard Mattei
381.30
2
16th



Next Up: Grand Circuit activity continues every day this week with racing from the Delaware County Fair, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Hoosier Park, and Mohawk Racetrack.  Following this week, stakes action moves to Dayton Raceway and The Red Mile in addition to continuing at Harrah’s.


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.