from HANA Harness

Slow and steady has gotten Mark McKelvie, the 2012 HANA Harness handicapping champion back on top in HANA Harness’ 2013 Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge sponsored by the Hambletonian Society, Chicago Harness, IHHA, Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, with a net profit of $7.50 for the four Grand Circuit stakes this past week.

The handicappers have been frustrated by short fields and prices in a couple of these races and a costly break by Lady Broadway in the Hudson Filly Trot.

To give the handicappers more leeway, the rules of the contest have been modified slightly. Instead of a total of $30 for a race which has been divided in divisions, each handicapper will now receive $30 per division to wager with, along with a requirement of wagering at least $30 in one division and at least $10 in each subsequent division. Also, the handicappers will now be able to play multi-race wagers as long as each leg is a Grand Circuit event.

Additional races have been added to the ‘special event’ category where the handicappers will have the option of wagering an additional $20 per race as well as making up to two additional wagers. The list of races which fall into this category are the Meadowlands Pace, William R. Haughton Memorial, Stanley Dancer Trot, Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks, John Cashman, Jr. Memorial (formerly the Nat Ray), Battle of the Brandywine, Canadian Pacing Derby, Little Brown Jug, Yonkers Trot, Kentucky Futurity, Governor’s Cup and the Meadowlands FFA Trot/Pace Finals.

Standings as of July 6, 2013:

Position-Name-Week Gain-Net Profit-Behind-Last Pos-Days Missed
1. Mark McKelvie-$7.50-($109.44)-X-1st-0
2. Dennis O’Hara-($94.00)-($151.25)-($41.81)-2nd-2
3. Rusty Nash-($100.50)-($223.45)-($114.01)-3rd-0
4. Sally Hinckley-($83.30)-($267.15)-($157.71)-4th-0
5. Ann Stepien-$15.50-($378.45)-($269.01)-5th-0
6. Richard Scott-($18.50)-($419.41)-($309.97)-6th-2
7. Gordon Waterstone-($120.00)-($561.85)-($452.41)-7th-3
8. Earl Paulson-($90.00)-($710.35)-($600.91)-8th-1
9. Ray Garnett-($90.00)-($758.15)-($648.71)-9th-1
10. Garnet Barnsdale-($30.00)-($807.50)-($698.06)-10th-4

Ten grace days permitted. After ten days, there is a penalty of $30 per race.

Key Hits: Mark McKelvie had a $30 win ticket on Spider Blue Chip in the Reynolds 3-year-old colt trot which paid $97.50. Anne Stepien grossed $61.50 collecting on both divisions of the Reynolds 3-year-old filly trot.

Contest Schedule This Week
Friday, July 12–Hazel Park Raceway-$100,000 William Connors Memorial (3-year-old trotters); Meadowlands-$40,000 Miss Versatility (Open trotting mares).

Saturday, July 13– Balmoral Park-$60,000 Hanover Stakes (3-year-old filly pacers), $50,000 Hanover Stakes (3-year-old filly trotters), $60,000 Hanover Stakes (3-year-old colt and gelding pacers); Meadowlands-$245,500 Delvin Miller Memorial (3-year-old filly trotters), $635,750 Meadowlands Pace (3-year-old open pacers), $190,850 Mistletoe Shalee (3-year-old filly pacers), $303,500 Stanley Dancer Trot (3-year-old open trotters), $500,000 William R. Haughton Memorial (FFA pacers).