With stakes season now in high gear, Ray Garnett, previously in sixth place, has assumed the lead in the 2015 HANA Harness Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge.
The standings have been shaken up with plenty of movement. Garnett, with 539.7 points (268.2 for the week) finds himself in front by a slim 11.3-point lead over Bob Zanakis, whose 528.4 (292.8 for the week) points leapfrogged him from eighth to second place.
Previous leader Michael Carter finds himself in third place with 509.7 points, just 30 points from the top spot. Other handicappers who distinguished themselves during this past reporting period are Jay Hochstelter (214.2 for week) and Brandon Valvo (212.4 for week).
In the 11th leg of the competition, Mark Dezii and Brandon Valvo were both two for two, including the winner of the Lismore at Yonkers Raceway, Purrfect Bags $24.20, which resulted in each of them earning 70.2 points for the evening.
Mark Dezii along with Josi Verlingieri and Gordon Waterstone went three for three in the 12th leg at the Meadows in the three divisions of the Currier & Ives for three-ear-old filly trotters which earned each handicapper 71.4 points.
In Leg 13, a total of eight races were contested at the Meadowlands, the Meadows, Mohawk Racetrack and Scioto Downs, and Ray Garnett and Bob Zanakis took advantage of the situation by exploding with five winners on the card, earning 257.6 points taking down three of the four Graduate legs at the Meadowlands, the Currier & Ives for three-year-old open trotters, and the Charles Hill Memorial Trot at Scioto Downs. Jay Hochstetler earned 205.4 points with four winners for the evening. The other four-race winner for the evening was Brandon Valvo, who scored 181.8 points.
This week, the Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park is the only race on the contest calendar. The following week is another big week for the handicapping challenge, as the third leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old trotters and pacers is on tap at the Meadowlands (6/19) while Saturday night (6/20) has the North America Cup, Roses Are Red, Fan Hanover, Goodtimes, and Armbro Flight being contested at Mohawk while a leg of the TVG series for trotters takes place at the Meadowlands.
(With files from HANA)