Just last week the headlines indicated a log jam had formed in the top four positions in HANA Harness’ 2013 Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge. What a difference a week makes.
With Richard Scott gaining $1,023.40 over the last four contest days, he has built a $755 lead over Rusty Nash, who also had a productive week gaining $472 over the same period. Earl Paulson had a more modest gain of $114 over the weekend. Many of the other handicappers also had some impressive hits.
Scott managed to build his lead with a combination of wagers, be they such as his $30 Win wager Thursday on Love Detective in the Tompkins at Tioga which paid $438, and a $602 return on a $15 Win, Place wager Friday on Aneqada in the Geers at Tioga Downs. On Sunday, Scott even pulled of a $172 mutuel boxing the entire field in a $1 Exacta for a total cost of $30. There was little Scott touched that didn’t pay dividends.
Key Hits (unless specified, at Tioga Downs): Rusty Nash (Thurs) - $15 Win, Place on Winning Pursuit paid $160.50, (Fri) - $10 Pick-3 paid $151.20, $1 Trifecta Wheel ($30) on El Bloombito paid $99.00, (Sat) –$15 Pine Credit-Crazy About Pat Exacta paid $355.50, $30 Win on Forty Five Red paid $114.00 in the Lawrence B. Sheppard (Yonkers Raceway); Anne Stepien (Thurs) - $10 Win, Place, Show on Winning Pursuit paid $125.00; Richard Scott (Thurs) - $30 Win on Love Detective paid $438.00, (Fri) - $15 Win, Place on Anegada paid $602.25; (Sun) - $1 Exacta Box (All/All) on Bet The Moon-Troon paid $172.00; Ray Garnett (Fri) - $10 Win, Place on Anegada paid $401.50; Sally Hinckley (Sat) - $6 Show on Clear Vision in the Battle of Lake Erie (Northfield Park) paid $104.40; Dennis O’Hara (Sat) $5 Exacta on Forty Five Red-Thereisapaceforus paid $126.25 in the Lawrence B. Sheppard (Yonkers Raceway), $1 Trifecta Box ($24) in the Tompkins paid $99.75
Contest Schedule This Week
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
• The Meadows - $60,000 (Est., Div) Arden Downs (2yo C>), $85,000 (Est., Div) Arden Downs (2yo FT).
FRIDAY, JULY 26
• The Meadows - $73,000 (Est., Div) Arden Downs (3yo C>), $66,000 (Est., Div) Arden Downs (3yo FT)
SATURDAY, JULY 27
• The Meadows - $140,000 (Est.) Adioo Volo (3yoFP), $500,000 (Est.) Adios (3yoC&GP), $90,000 (Est., Div) Arden Downs (2yoFP), $100,000 (Est., Div) Arden Downs (2yo C&GP); $450,000 (Gtd.) Yonkers Trot (3yo Open Trot)
(HANA)