Friday Recap - This Week in Harness Racing May 3 to May 9

Below is what happened in harness racing this week, as reported on Harnesslink and from other places across the web.

From Harnesslink

  • Auckland Reactor sold for a staggering $4m, Don Wright - NZ and North America
    Described by driver and co trainer Mark Purdon as the best horse he has been associated with, champion 3 Year Old pacer Auckland Reactor has been sold to a group of North American owners and breeders for a staggering $4 million NZ (3.5M US).
  • Police search farm after positive tests, Racing Commission - US
    Racing Commission Executive Director Frank Zanzuccki announced today that a Racing Commission investigation has resulted in the first positive test results obtained under the state’s recently-expanded testing protocols aimed at detecting the use of performance-enhancing substances in race horses.
  • Somebeachsomewhere wows observers, Greg Blanchard - CA
    The much anticipated debut of star pacer Somebeachsomewhere took place this morning (May 5th) at Mohawk Racetrack and the statuesque colt did not disappoint, turning in an effortless-looking 1:51.1 mile during the qualifying session.
  • Death of Harold Park looms strongly - AU
    IT has been Sydney’s home of harness racing since 1902 but Harold Park could be up for sale as soon as August. More than 100 years of tradition is likely to end after the NSW Harness Racing Club yesterday confirmed that an independent report supported the sale of Harold Park.
  • Ex Small pair racing well in US, Garrick Knight - NZ
    On speed and historical performance, Winforu (7h In The Pocket-Beheliem) is perhaps the best horse to leave our shores for America in the past few years and he is starting to show his worth for new owner Joe Muscara.
  • Art Major latest star for Romola Hanover, Frank Marrion - NZ
    Art Major is clearly on course to become one of the hottest sires in the business in both hemispheres. The one time racing contemporary of Mach Three, McArdle and Red River Hanover in what was obviously a great crop of colts, was last year’s leading sire of juveniles in America with his first crop, and his progeny have also been very much to the fore in both America and Australasia at the yearling sales.
  • Make money… Just for hitching your sulky? - Chris E. Wittstruck - US
    While critical matters perpetually threaten our industry, it is often the more mundane issues that evoke the most impassioned and divergent opinions. One such issue is the question of whether harness racing’s traditional purse distribution formula should be tweaked so as to benefit the connections of those horses finishing up the track.
  • McCedes Ryder’s McHopeful in Creek & Classic, Carol Hodes - US
    Whether or not McCedes is the Mercedes of pacers remains to be seen. The bay gelding has a spot on the Meadowlands starting gate in the $225,000 Berry’s Creek Final on May 10, 2008, the first major stakes of the year for three-year-old pacers.
  • Take the morning line and shove it, Derick Giwner - US
    One of the most important things a handicapper can do while studying the past performances is throw out the morning line. Since I have heard people confuse this fact in the past, let’s go over what the morning line is geared to represent. The morning line is simply one person’s opinion as to how the betting public will see the race.
  • Horses to Watch at the Meadowlands, Derick Giwner - US
    This list is designed to provide horses who had tough trips, traffic trouble or looked impressive in their recent start. Always consider whether each horse is at a competitive level and if their price warrants a play before wagering in their next start. Horses which were listed the previous week and did not race will remain listed for a second week.

United States

Canada

Australia

New Zealand

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This entry was posted on May 9, 2008 at 4:28 pm and is filed under Home, Recaps. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.