In any handicapping contest, it takes only one successful wager to get back into the hunt. That saying rang true when Garnet Barnsdale recently leapfrogged from sixth place to the top of the standings in HANA Harness’ Grand Circuit Shoot-Out Handicapping Contest.
As a result of a $2,400 net profit thanks to his $200 trifecta play in the Lady Maud at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday night, Barnsdale leads the pack with an overall net profit of $1,735.30, $100.45 ahead of Bob Zanakis, who is in second place. Right behind the top two is Mark McKelvie, who dropped from first to third, only $155.80 from the top position.
Not to be left out, Derick Giwner jumped from ninth place to fourth thanks to his $5 trifecta play (total of $35) in Dayton Raceway’s Trotting Derby on Friday, which paid a $2,539.00 dividend which resulted in a weekly net profit of $1,889 (overall net profit of -$138.23). While Giwner is still $1,800+ behind the leader, he is well within striking range of the lead.
The current standings after the completion of this past weekend’s activity are:
As the Handicapping Shoot-Out heads into the homestretch, this week’s races brings the contestants to Hoosier Park Friday evening for the final time this year with the $250,000 (est.) Monument Circle for three-year-old colt pacers, the $225,000 (est.) Carl Erskine for three-year-old trotters, $210,000 (est.) Hoosier Park Pacing Derby for three-year-olds and up, as well as the $175,000 (est.) Nadia Lobell and $200,000 (est.) Moni Maker for three-year-old filly pacers and trotters, respectively, on tap. On Saturday evening, the action returns to Vernon Downs for the $240,400 Kindergarten Classic final for two-year-old colt trotters, $250,500 Kindergarten Classic final for two-year-old filly trotters in addition to the $175,000 (est.) Artiscape for filly and mare pacers and the $175,000 (est.) Muscle Hill for filly and mare trotters.
(With files from HANA)