by John Pawlak, marketing director, USTA

Columbus, OH — It’s classic in how it sets up: The elimination winners, who both like to be on the lead early, will score side by side when the gate springs open in the $301,032 Max Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs this Saturday — stop number four on this year’s USTA Cyber Circuit.

Both Takeshigemichi (post six, 7-5 on the line) and Rusty’s For Real (seven, 8-5) have been up in the rigging all the way in their most recent starts, including identical 1:50, divisional track record miles in the Hempt Eliminations last week.

Thus, handicapping beyond those top two is something to be done at one’s own risk because any such discussion must start — and perhaps end — with the co-favorites.

A look at the fractions of both their elimination miles might give us a clue: “Rusty” was used a bit more getting to the lead; he rushed from third to first after the first pole was passed in :26.4, and “Take” made his early move following a bit easier fraction, :27.4. The former got a bit more of a rest on the lead in his elimination, charting a middle half of :55.3, and the latter “lolled” in :54.4. Both, as it turned out, had enough left to sprint clear in final quarter-miles timed in :27 and a whisker, and thus there’s not much to separate them here.

Maybe a look at the drivers will yield a clue: Daniel Dube, who will drive Takeshigemichi, as usual, is always aggressive, and for our money is one of the best in that regard, but Tim Tetrick, who was paired with Rusty’s For Real for the first time in the Hempt Eliminations, and who still leads the planet in wins this year, obviously knows what to do on the lead. Nope; there’s no hint there.

It appears, as it always does to chalk players, that the favorites will race one-two — and then finish one-two or two-one. Fans of the nickel-on-the-dollar gimmick should rejoice, and the devotees of the dime-on-the-dollar trifecta will set about looking for the show finisher.

They might not go wrong in adding Big Al’s Delight (two, 15-1), who has finished in the top-three 12 of 18 times, and has lured driver Brian Sears to Wilkes-Barre. Or, The Double Dion (four, 6-1), who won against top Pa.-breds and raced against top open company last year, might be the one. Or, Tivoli Hanover (eight, 5-1), who cut the first fraction in Takeshigemichi’s mile last week, and who danced in a lot of big dances last year, might be the one to fill the trifecta ticket.

Whomever finishes third to the top pair won’t help any handicapper get rich at Pocono Downs on Saturday, nor would the winnings be enough to fill one’s gas tank. Then again, even if a longshot splits the favorites he wouldn’t pay enough to buy one tank-full these days!

Editor’s Note: The Hempt Final will be the fourth stop on the USTA’s Cyber Circuit. Be sure to view the race replay moments after the “official” sign is posted. Follow the entire Cyber Circuit by following this link.