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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Rios Sets Sights On Two Prizes At Cal Expo

Driver/trainer Marco Rios is looking at a couple of races in particular on Saturday’s (October 22) card at Cal Expo, with Misty Waters carrying the stable hopes in the first leg of the Bronte Foundation Amateur Series, while his homebred 2-year-old trotting colt El Azteca eyes a second Sire Stakes tally a bit earlier on the program.

Misty Waters is a daughter of Cam’s Card Shark who races for Marco’s wife Sandra and goes in one of the distaff divisions of the Bronte. Unfortunately, for the second straight week she has drawn the outside post in a field of eight.

“We’ll just have to try and find a good early spot,” Rios explained.  “The idea is to get through the first two legs and qualify for the final.”

El Azteca is a son of Panama Hanover and the Jonathan Lobell mare Jonathan’s Girl who has waltzed home by double digits in both his September 24 qualifier and the first stakes dance of the season for the young male trotters two weeks ago.

“I bought Jonathan’s Girl as a yearling and she raced four or five times for us before she got injured,” Marco related.  “This colt showed quite a bit from the very start, and part of the battle is just to keep them flat.  The dam was very hot and a little bit crazy, but this colt takes after Panama Hanover and is much calmer.”

Thursday (October 20) live racing returns to Cal Expo at 5:30 p.m. (PDT), and continues on Friday (October 21) & Saturday (October 22) at 6:00 p.m.  On Thursday and every live card, Cal Expo offers free admission, as well as free preferred & general parking after 4:30 p.m.  Also on Thursday night from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Cal Expo offers a complete Lasagna dinner, which includes salad and bread, for just $3.00.  Additionally on Thursday, beer & wine can be purchased for $3.00 each as well.

Cal Expo offers a reduced 15 percent takeout rate on Saturdays for both Pick 4’s.  In addition, the late Pick 4 will come with a $10,000-guaranteed pool and there will be a 0% takeout on successful Late Pick 4 tickets made on track or at Twinspires.com.