from HANA Harness

With several special event races allowing handicappers to use additional funds to wager on the card this past weekend, the handicappers took advantage of the situation in HANA Harness’ 2013 Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge sponsored by the Hambletonian Society, Chicago Harness, IHHA, Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs.

Richard Scott moved from sixth place to second with the top four handicappers being within $50 of each other. Despite a relatively bad week, Mark McKelvie remains on top, $31.27 ahead of Scott.

While Friday night’s stakes races, the William Conners Memorial and Miss Versatility were relatively tame for the handicappers, they went to town on Saturday night at Balmoral Park and the Meadowlands with Ray Garnett, Dennis O’Hara and Anne Stepien collecting some nice trifectas while Richard Scott managed to hit some solid returns on straight wagers.

The standings as of July 13, 2013, are below:

Pos.-Name-Week Gain-Net Profit-Behind-Last Pos.-Days Missed
1. Mark McKelvie-($104.60)-($214.04)-X-1st-0
2. Richard Scott-$174.10-($245.31)-($31.27)-6th-2
3. Dennis O’Hara-($112.50)-($263.75)-($49.71)-2nd-2
4. Ann Stepien-$114.60-($263.85)-($49.81)-5th-0
5. Sally Hinckley-($129.00)-($396.15)-($182.11)-4th-0
6. Rusty Nash-($228.20)-($451.65)-($237.61)-3rd-0
7. Gordon Waterstone-($103.10)-($664.95)-($450.91)-7th-3
8. Ray Garnett-$84.60-($673.55)-($459.51)-9th-1
9. Earl Paulson-($328.00)-($1,038.35)-($824.31)-8th-1
10. Garnet Barnsdale-($355.00)-($1,162.50)-($948.46)-10th-4

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

Key Hits: Ray Garnett–four horse $1 trifecta box in second division of the Hanover Stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, paying $211.60; Mark McKelvie–two horse $1 exacta box in William R. Haughton Memorial, paying $56.30; Dennis O’Hara-$5 trifecta partial wheel ($30) in first division of Hanover Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers paid $117.00; Richard Scott-$15 win, place ticket on second division of Hanover Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers, paying $166.50; Anne Stepien-$1 four horse trifecta box in the William R. Haughton Memorial, grossing $339.50.

Contest Schedule This Week
Thursday, July 18–Tioga Downs $75,000 (est.)Tompkins-Geers (2-year-old colt trot), $75,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers (2-year-old filly trot).

Friday, July 19–Tioga Downs $70,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers (2-year-old filly pace, $65,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers (2-year-old colt pace).

Saturday, July 20–Mohawk Racetrack $340,000 (est.) Roses Are Red (F&M Open Pacers), $543,000 Maple Leaf Trot (Open); Northfield Park $100,000 Battle of Lake Erie (Open Pacers); Tioga Downs $70,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers (3-year-old colt trot), $65,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers (3-year-old filly trot); Yonkers Raceway $100,000 (est.) Lawrence B. Sheppard (2-year-old Open Pacers).

Sunday, July 21–Tioga Downs $65,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers (3-year-old filly pace), $70,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers (3-year-old colt pace).