NA Cup Winter Book & Neat Video

Trot magazine in their horseplayer issue gives us their annual take on the North America Cup winter book.

This is always a mucho-difficult call, because we have to guess how the colts will come back, and time and time again many do not. Last year there were some talented colts, and that makes it more of a problem. In the end, they settled on Sportswriter, All Speed Hanover and Rock n'Roll Heaven.

My top five? I would have to say All Speed Hanover has the edge on my list for number one. He finished the year strong and is a grinder. Those horses, unless they are freakish like the Beach was, tend to last a little longer at three. Second I will go with another who was shut down early, after being babied early in the season - Rock n Roll Heaven. He jogged in 50 in his last start and looked fresh. I would then go to Ideal Matters. Pitch his loss earlier this month; it meant nothing. I am not sold on Sportswriter, but we'll give him four. Five for me goes to the Takter trainee Rockin Image.

Now for a fine piece of video. Listening to a stretch drive in harness racing you will hear noise, a ton of it. Yelling and screaming and whips hitting shafts. I was amazed at this race tape from Hawthorne with a jockey cam. Little sound, but amazing video.