Harness Racing News and Views 09-05-16

[trying2win]

--I noticed Herve Filion was the winning driver of the horse MARLEY in Race 10 at Pocono Downs on this day. I haven't seen Herve Filion's name in the results column for a long time. Did he take the last year or two off from driving? Anybody know?

--I was watching Race 2 from the RUNNING ACES HARNESS PARK on live video this day. I noticed the front-runnng winner named BLAZING FURY, paced the opening quarter in 30.3 and the half in a real slow 102.3. Now I wouldn't be surprised if the judges there fine the driver for slow quarters. I've seen fines for this kind of scenario before at other harness tracks. My question is, why do judges only fine the driver on the leading horse? In my opinion, the drivers of the two horses right behind the leader in the early part of the race should be the ones being fined. Or, if that doesn't sound fair to some, how about the first three horses to a slow quarter and half in a race all being fined? Of course, I realize that the judges have to consider the class of the race, before deciding whether to deal out fines for slow quarters and halves. Any opinions on this?

Thanks,

T2W

[Cubbymac26]

there'sno doubt they cheat there the only reason they let them go the half In 102.3 is cuz the boys are trying to get numbers home come on 5/8th harness going those times in the warm weather is a joke I bet the track one nite $28 horse $50 horse $97 double pathetic

[InsideThePylons-MW]

[QUOTE=trying2win--I was watching Race 2 from the RUNNING ACES HARNESS PARK on live video this day. I noticed the front-runnng winner named BLAZING FURY, paced the opening quarter in 30.3 and the half in a real slow 102.3. Now I wouldn't be surprised if the judges there fine the driver for slow quarters. I've seen fines for this kind of scenario before at other harness tracks. My question is, why do judges only fine the driver on the leading horse? In my opinion, the drivers of the two horses right behind the leader in the early part of the race should be the ones being fined. Or, if that doesn't sound fair to some, how about the first three horses to a slow quarter and half in a race all being fined? Of course, I realize that the judges have to consider the class of the race, before deciding whether to deal out fines for slow quarters and halves. Any opinions on this?

Thanks,

T2W[/QUOTE]

What are you talking about?

The race was a horrendous Minnesota bred only event. The winner was 4/5 and won by 13 lengths in 2:01 1/5. The 2 horses behind the leader can barely go a mile in 2:04 and you want to fine them for not flipping the pocket on a 4/5 shot going a very reasonable half for the class level? C'mon!

The horse who was 2nd sat the pocket and finished 2nd while getting beat 13.

The horse who was 3rd came 1st over and after getting even with the leader at the 3/4, ran last and got beat 28 lengths. Maybe they should fine that driver for being a moron.

[trying2win]

Originally Posted by InsideThePylons-MW

What are you talking about?

The race was a horrendous Minnesota bred only event. The winner was 4/5 and won by 13 lengths in 2:01 1/5. The 2 horses behind the leader can barely go a mile in 2:04 and you want to fine them for not flipping the pocket on a 4/5 shot going a very reasonable half for the class level? C'mon!

The horse who was 2nd sat the pocket and finished 2nd while getting beat 13.

The horse who was 3rd came 1st over and after getting even with the leader at the 3/4, ran last and got beat 28 lengths. Maybe they should fine that driver for being a moron.

Inside The Pylons:

Thank you for enlightening me on the class of the race. That's info I didn't research after the race. That would be a very good reason to explain the slow early quarters in the race. However..easy there. No need to go ballistic. I just asked some simple questions. All you had to do was answer them in a civil tone. Tsk! tsk!


T2W

[InsideThePylons-MW]

Originally Posted by trying2win

Inside The Pylons:

Thank you for enlightening me on the class of the race. That's info I didn't research after the race. That would be a very good reason to explain the slow early quarters in the race. However..easy there. No need to go ballistic. I just asked some simple questions. All you had to do was answer them in a civil tone. Tsk! tsk!


T2W

I assume you watched the whole race. If the winner wins by the length of a football field in 2.01 1/5, the other horses are helpless to do anything going a half in 1:02 3/5 because that's obviously about as fast as they can go. If the winner would have went to the half faster, he would have won by much more than 13.

I got a little miffed because you knew enough to understand a slow half but not enough to understand the much more obvious that I stated above.

[InsideThePylons-MW]

Originally Posted by Cubbymac26

there'sno doubt they cheat there the only reason they let them go the half In 102.3 is cuz the boys are trying to get numbers home come on 5/8th harness going those times in the warm weather is a joke I bet the track one nite $28 horse $50 horse $97 double pathetic

Sharp post.

The DD pools avg. under $200.

The gimmick pools are $500-$1000.

Pure genius!

[titans1127]

Originally Posted by trying2win

--I noticed Herve Filion was the winning driver of the horse MARLEY in Race 10 at Pocono Downs on this day. I haven't seen Herve Filion's name in the results column for a long time. Did he take the last year or two off from driving? Anybody know?

From a Standardbred Canada artice I read right before finding this thread:

It was the only drive on yesterday’s program for the 69-year-old sulky sitter, who was making his 11th start this season. He went 0-for-35 last year, but visited the winner’s circle eight times throughout the course of the 2007 campaign.

[wilderness]

The SC article will also offer a free TrackIT link to Herve's lifetime stats (at least for another day or two).

[trying2win]

Titans and Wilderness:

Thanks for the info

T2W