Harness Analyst – Scioto Downs 1st July

Scioto Downs hosts an exciting card of harness racing tonight, highlighted by four divisions of the $150,000 New Generation Stakes for two-year-old trotters and pacers. There are also two divisions of the $55,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore colt pacers. Here are all my selections for this excellent 16-race card:

BEST BET: (6) VEL CHARLIE – Race 8

SPOT PLAY: (5) Native’s Filou – Race 4

50-Cent Pick 4 – Race 1 – 2,3,4,7,8/3/1,3,4,6/1,3,5 = $30

50-Cent Pick 5 – Race 3 – 1,3,4,6/1,3,5/1,7/4/2,3,4 = $36

50-Cent Pick 5 – Race 8 – 6/2,3,6,10/2,3,4/5/1,2,5,7,8 = $30

50-Cent Pick 4 – Race 11 – 5/1,2,5,7,8/2,3,5,6/2,5 = $20

Race 1 – 8-3-4-2

We kick off a 50-cent Pick 4 here with a wide-open maiden race that likely merits deep coverage. I’ll try (8) NAKEDATTHEBAR, who couldn’t have been more impressive in his two qualifying wins.

Race 2 – 3-2-4-1

(3) SEAFIRE gets his nose back on the gate tonight and he should get a solid pace to track here. He gets the nod in a good betting race.

Race 3 – 1-3-4-6

We get the Next Generation 2YO pacing fillies here in another great betting race. I’ll give a slight nod to (1) DAISYS STAR who showed she can sit and finish powerfully in both qualifiers. She might sit the best trip here.

Race 4 – 5-1-3-6-2

(5) NATIVE’S FILOU raced tough in defeat last week and he could get the job done here if he gets a slightly easier trip.

Race 5 – 7-1-2-5

(7) IMAREALROKNBUGATTI gets a slightly better post coming off a big mile where he almost got the job done after being parked the whole way; top call.

Race 6 – 4-3-1-7

(4) WESTERN READY raced well one level higher and he now drops to the level where he last won five starts back. He has a good chance vs. these.

Race 7 – 2-3-7-4

2YO trotting fillies hook up here in Next Generation Stakes and all but one of them are making their debut. You could make a case for several fillies in here. I’ll side with (2) SEDONA HILL, who has been one of The Stable’s highest rated two-year-olds for many months.

Race 8 – 6-2-5-4

(6) VEL CHARLIE is just faster than these right now and he will be hard to overtake if he rips off another 1:50 mile tonight.

Race 9 – 2-10-3-6

(2) BIG BOOTY RUDY gets post and class relief and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the bike tonight and he should have a big shot in this spot tonight.

Race 10 – 4-2-3-5

(4) CAPTAIN KIRK would have won two starts back if he got racing room sooner then he had to circle wide around an accident in the Mohawk Gold Cup. This is a good spot for him, and he gets top billing.

Race 11 – 5-7-4-3

(5) TELLITSABB paced a huge winning mile uncovered on the rim last week. Off that strong effort, he gets the call to repeat.

Race 12 – 7-5-8-2

In a wide-open race, I’ll take a stab with (7) BOOK OF LIFE, who passed some horses in a fast conditioned dash when racing off the claim now gets back into a claimer.

Race 13 – 2-5-3-6

Next Generation 2YO trotting colts line up here. (2) DO WHATS RIGHT showed some grit in his second qualifier and he draws well and adds Lasix now. He is one of several that can win here.

Race 14 – 5-2-7-9

(5) ANTS MARCHING wasn’t disgraced facing Grand Circuit colts in three straight starts and he should be tough here racing in a sires stakes.

Race 15 – 3-2-5-7

The Next Generation 2YO colt pacers do battle here. (3) CLEVER CODY was impressive in his June 14th qualifier, and I will give him a slight nod in a competitive field.

Race 16 – 9-2-1-4

(9) ROCKIN SPEED drops and gets Miller in the bike, and he could be a good value play here in a spot where he is sure to offer a square price starting from the outside post.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink