Ra Ra Steven has captured two stakes dances at this meet for the young pacing colts and just missed in the other after carving out all the fractions. The Little Steven homebred races for the partnership of Billie Schwartz, Jim Wilkinson Jr. and David Rachford with Wilkinson the conditioner and Rich Wojcio once again handling the lines.
An easy coast-to-coast victor in the initial big-money gathering on October 8, Ra Ra Steven tried similar tactics in the next stakes and was nailed by the pocket-sitting Bloom N Doom. He made all the pace in the most recent one two weeks ago over a good track, holding safe by a nose over Hollywood Star.
The latter is another son of Little Steven who is owned and was bred by Alan Kirschenbaum and Sheldon Perry with Bob Johnson the conditioner and Lemoyne Svendsen guiding. He romped in his October 27 debut and lost a heartbreaker in that November 5 stakes after making up quite a bit of ground in the final eighth of a mile.
Bloom N Doom accounted that October 22 Sire Stakes in a very impressive debut and was third in the last one after coming first-over into Ra Ra Steven. The Hi Ho Silverheels homebred races for Wayne and Rod Knittel and gives trainer Johnson another strong look at the outcome with Bruce Clarke in the bike. Little Tor rounds out the cast with Luke Plano at the helm.
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| LEMOYNE SVENDSEN handles Hollywood Star and Light Red in Cal Expo Sire Stakes action on Saturday night. |
El Azteca is strictly the one to beat in the trot for his owner/breeder/driver/trainer Marco Rios after three straight dominating stakes scores. Taking on the streaking son of Panama Hanover are High Dollar with Steve Wiseman; Light Red, Lemoyne Svendsen; Loose Cannon and Lees Persuader.
Next week will find an abbreviated schedule, with programs on Friday and Saturday, but no racing on Thanksgiving Thursday, November 24. The regular three-night schedule will resume on Thursday, December 1 and continues through December 18.
Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (November 17) at 5:30 p.m. (PST) and continues on Friday (November 18) & Saturday (November 19) 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 now offers a reduced 15 percent takeout rate on all Pick 4’s (Thursday/Friday nights in partnership with the USTA Strategic Wagering Committee). In addition, all Late Pick 4’s will come with a $10,000-guaranteed pool. On Saturday night, there will be a 0% takeout on successful Late Pick 4 tickets made at Cal Expo or at Twinspires.com.
