Freehold’s back, baby!

Friday, August 23^rd marks the return of harness racing to central New Jersey at Freehold Raceway. Fans of half-mile track racing are glad the standard three-month hiatus is over. You will hear many big track players shake their heads, dumbfoundedly, when small track players express their preference for the smaller ovals.

It is similar to the difference with baseball fans who prefer real baseball when the pitchers got to bat as opposed to the games with the designated hitters who only play half the game. I’m going to make a wild guess and assume that readers know my preference based on the way I described the different games.

Fans of the designated hitter like to argue that they would rather see batters hit than see managers think. Does the same comparison apply to harness racing? After all, strategy plays a bigger part on the half-mile track where the stretch is shorter and the last turn is more challenging. Yet here I am despising the designated hitter and preferring half-mile track racing.

One big difference in the strategy angle is that the designated hitter in baseball provides the game with more action, as does half- mile track harness racing. Ergo, half-mile track racing offers more strategy and more action. Big track devotees believe that the best horse is more likely to escape excuses and is therefore a safer wager. There is some logic behind that thinking.

As a handicapper, I also see greater opportunities to make money on the smaller track. Because of the shorter stretch and tighter turns, the observant handicapper can pick up more difficult-to-see excuses and apply them to future wagers.

Freehold Raceway has a passing lane, but that is not as big an advantage for pocket horses as one might intuitively think. The open lane does not start at the head of the stretch, and if the front runner loses the lead before the lane opens up, the pocket sitter can kiss victory good-bye. Strategy and thinking are involved at tracks big and small, but significantly more at the smaller tracks.

Here is a small track angle that I will reveal if you promise not to tell anyone else. Ok, we’re alone. Watch for horses that struggle on the turns, then accelerate on the straightaways. For me, those horses are as close to being auto-bets when they move to the bigger tracks as there are in harness racing.

There should not be any horses racing this weekend whose last line was three months ago, unless they qualified on the 16^th. You can view the Freehold Raceway qualifiers at this link. Use the information wisely.

Things to look for in the charts since few, if any, drivers care about winning. They only need to meet qualifying time. What you look for in the qualifying charts:

• How horses performed in relation to the horses near them.
• Did closers beat their cover?
• Front runners that win on the front end, and the last quarter is faster than the third quarter. It tells you that they weren’t tiring. This only applies to half-mile races. On the 5/8 oval, the third quarter is usually the fastest, while the final quarter is usually the fastest on the mile tracks.
• Look for the horses that went each quarter the fastest on the day, especially important since you have no idea about how slow or fast the track was that day.

I was at the qualifiers, so here are some key observations that you cannot see in the charts.

Race 1 – FLYING TIGER and LUNATIC FRINGE appeared to use old-style sulkies, so there may be significant improvements when they race for the money with the newer bikes. FLYING TIGER also raced better than the form would indicate. I give FLYING TIGER a +2 score. SONO CONFUSO and COLT FOURTY ONE had more pace than the chart indicates. They both receive a +1 score.

Race 2 – YO A J had exceptional pace when clear, but the competition in this race does not match the caliber of horse he should be facing. Should be a big factor if he gets in cheaper.

Race 3 – SOUTHWIND LEA appeared to use an old-style sulky, so there may be significant improvements when she races for the money. HOLD MY TIARA was hindered by a gapper. He gets a +1 score.

Race 4 – TIN ROOF RAIDER A wide and strong in the first eighth, and under hold down the stretch. He receives a +2 score.

Race 5 – AW SUGA DRAGON appeared to use an old-style sulky, so there may be significant improvements when he races for the money. However, his performance was dismal and should be required to qualify again.

Race 6 – SWEET SOUL DAVID was strong in the stretch. He receives a +1 score.

Pay attention to the performances of shippers from various tracks and use their respective efforts as a guide to future horses coming in from the same tracks. Also, note specific dates from those tracks. Tracks are faster and slower on different dates.

Too much information? That sounds like a personal problem. See the chaplain.

Power to the punter.

by Gil Winston, for Harnesslink