August 31, 2015 – It was a very quiet week for the field of
the 2015 HANA Harness Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge presented by the
Bellino Stables, DRF Harness, Hambletonian Society, Meadowlands Racing and
Entertainment, Northfield Park, Tioga Downs, and Vernon Downs.
Saturday evening featured The Hudson Filly Trot and the Lady
Maud from Yonkers. When the tickets were cashed two of the HANA
handicappers hit the contest daily double. The pair should be familiar
names for those of you who follow our friendly Quixotic adventure. Bob
Zanakis and Bryan Owen both tabbed Murderers Row and Purrfect Bags. Each
earned the maximum forty points. Neither was able to climb over anyone
else in the contest standings despite their handicapping success.
On short nights the only way to really move up is to be the
only one with two big price winners plus the multiplier. The two Saturday
evening races simply did not look like they would produce anything close to two
big prices.
There were no big movers this weekend. In fact the
slight movement that did occur in the standings was very small. Thirty
cents meant the difference in one case. Our top three handicappers all
scored the same number of points and are in the same relative positions.
Sally Hinckley remains safely on the engine with a lead of 336 points over Anne
Stepien. Mark McKelvie is in the show hole a mere 66 points further
back. Gordon Waterstone completes the super and Bob Zanakis rounds out
the penta.
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Standings
as of August 29, 2015 - Leg 31
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Total Points
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Points Earned
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Overall
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Position
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Pos
|
Handicapper
|
Prior Week
|
This Week
|
Total Points
|
Last Week
|
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1st
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Sally Hinckley
|
2,600.80
|
4.50
|
2,605.30
|
1st
|
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2nd
|
Anne Stepien
|
2,264.00
|
4.50
|
2,268.50
|
2nd
|
|
3rd
|
Mark McKelvie
|
2,198.00
|
4.50
|
2,202.50
|
3rd
|
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4th
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Gordon Waterstone
|
1,947.80
|
4.10
|
1,951.90
|
4th
|
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5th
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Bob Zanakis
|
1,891.10
|
40.00
|
1,931.10
|
5th
|
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6th
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Dennis O'Hara
|
1,820.50
|
4.50
|
1,825.00
|
6th
|
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7th
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Earl Paulson
|
1,800.20
|
11.10
|
1,811.30
|
7th
|
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8th
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Bryan Owen
|
1,602.20
|
40.00
|
1,642.20
|
8th
|
|
9th
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Michael Carter
|
1,572.90
|
15.50
|
1,588.40
|
9th
|
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10th
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Josi Verlingieri
|
1,481.80
|
4.50
|
1,486.30
|
10th
|
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11th
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Ray Garnett
|
1,417.10
|
2.20
|
1,419.30
|
12th
|
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12th
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Mark Dezii
|
1,419.00
|
0.00
|
1,419.00
|
11th
|
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13th
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Rusty Nash
|
1,356.50
|
6.60
|
1,363.10
|
14th
|
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14th
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Garnet Barnsdale
|
1,326.40
|
15.50
|
1,341.90
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13th
|
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15th
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Jay Hochstetler
|
1,310.50
|
11.10
|
1,321.60
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15th
|
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16th
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Derick Giwner
|
1,223.60
|
6.70
|
1,230.30
|
16th
|
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17th
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Brandon Valvo
|
1,191.30
|
0.00
|
1,191.30
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17th
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18th
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Ray Cotolo
|
850.80
|
6.60
|
857.40
|
18th
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19th
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Mark Deutsch
|
531.40
|
4.50
|
535.90
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19th
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Next week will be very busy. There are events Thursday
through Monday over the long Labor Day weekend. We kick things off with
two year old filly trotters in the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk. Friday
continues at Mohawk with more Champlain Stakes action plus the Simcoe for three
year old filly trotters. The marquee events on Saturday include the
Canadian Pacing Derby and the Metro Pace. Sunday sees us all visiting
Balmoral for the American National. We wind things up Monday at one of
our wonderful sponsors, Tioga Downs, for the fourth leg of the Miss
Versatility. Several of these stakes will be contested in divisions which
will make for a very interesting week on the HANA circuit.
