Deadlock in latest Hiawatha handicapping challenge leg

There was no movement in the standings of the $500 Hiawatha Horse Park Youth Handicapping Challenge this past weekend. The two combatants finished in a dead heat with 68 points each following harness racing racing action on Saturday, August 21.

Leader Nathan Bain clicked with five winners on the card, while challenger Nicholas “Ace” Barnsdale countered with five winners of his own, including Best Bet Dinner At The Met ($2.90), a game winner in race 5. Interestingly, in four races where the handicappers’ top selections varied, Barnsdale’s pick won two of those races, while Bain’s top choice won the other two dashes.

Bain still holds a commanding lead, 722 points to Barnsdale’s 663, with only four race cards left in the Challenge.

The contest – for which the $300 first prize and $200 second prize are supplied by Hiawatha Horse Park – runs every Saturday and concludes when the last race is run on closing day, September 18. Follow Bain’s (@NBainracing) and Barnsdale’s (@AceBarnsdale) weekly Hiawatha selections on Twitter every Saturday afternoon. Barnsdale’s selections also appear on the Ontario Racing “Tips from the Pros” page.

August 28, join Nathan and Ace: The 12-race card at Hiawatha Horse Park is available on Horseplayer Interactive (HPI) and other ADWs, with full fields of 8-9 horses most races. Last Saturday featured three double-digit winners and just four winning favourites, setting up for a Pick 5 carryover of $597.88 this coming weekend. Post time is 1 pm (Eastern).

by Melissa Keith, for the United States Harness Writers Association Canada Chapter