Family Affair In Handicapping Championship

Published: June 30, 2009 10:41 pm EDT

Justin and Ira Sobel, a son/father team from New City, NY, took the top two spots in the inaugural Meadowlands/Mohawk Handicapping Championship on Saturday, June 27

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Justin Sobel captured the $2,060 grand prize and a seat in the 2010 National Harness Handicapping Championship with a $438 bankroll. His father, Ira, was the tournament runner-up with a $329 bankroll, which earned him an additional $1,030 in prize money.

The cost to enter the tournament was $100 ($50 entry fee/$50 tournament bankroll). Players were required to bet exactly 10 races: five each from Meadowlands and Mohawk, including the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup. Wagers had to be win only, on one horse per race and meet a $5 minimum. All tournament players received a T-shirt, dinner buffet, programs, Harness Eye and a handicapping seminar with Dave Brower.

Woodbine Entertainment Group will hold a similar tournament showcasing the $1 million Meadowlands Pace at its Greenwood off-track wagering facility on Saturday, July 18.

Official Standings for the Meadowlands/Mohawk Challenge

Prize – Bankroll – Contestant
$2,060.00 - $438.50 - Justin Sobel
$1,030.00 - $329.00 - Ira Sobel
$515.00 - $270.00 - Frank Claps
$386.25 - $224.25 - Mike Iurato
$257.50 - $174.50 - Allan Kaplan
$180.25 - $114.25 - Dan Rotondi
$180.25 - $113.50 - Joe Schulmeister
$180.25 - $67.30 - Eric Trosten
$180.25 - $56.25 - Glenn Burke
$180.25 - $37.75 - Tom Murray

Historic Stakes Top Rich Week At Meadowlands

Harness racing’s Grand Circuit makes the first of its two summer stops at the Meadowlands during Historic Week, July 1–4.

Originally raced at the Goshen Historic Track in New York, the nine Historic stakes events moved to the Meadowlands in 1979.

Two-year-old fillies step out Wednesday in the $71,662 Debutante for pacers and $94,460 Acorn for trotters, while the colts take the stage Thursday in the $91,060 Harriman Cup (trotters) and $79,162 Goshen Cup (pacers).

The Friday card features the $101,482 Dickerson Cup for three-year-old colt trotters, headlined by Hambletonian hopefuls My Back Pages and Explosive Matter, along with the $90,632 Coaching Club Oaks for fillies and the $75,633 Ladyship for sophomore filly pacers.

Lucky Jim and Corleone Kosmos square off in the $203,000 Titan Cup for older trotters as Historic Week concludes Saturday night. Passmaster Hanover, winner of the $500,000 SBOA/Anthony Abbatiello Classic, takes the next step on the road to the Meadowlands Pace in the $85,033 Jersey Cup for three-year-old pacers that evening.

Also sharing the spotlight with the Historic Stakes are the $50,000 Thomas Strada Memorial for older pacing mares and a $35,000 prep race for the William R. Haughton Memorial, which marks Mister Big’s first start at the Meadowlands this season.

(The Meadowlands)

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