CLAUDIUS AUGUSTUS CONTINUES DOUBLE DUTY
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal
Expo Harness
Debra Budahn’s classy Claudius Augustus makes his seasonal
debut in Friday night’s Open Trot at the Watch and Wager LLC meet at Cal Expo
after spending the first part of the year working at his day job as a stallion.
Among
those eagerly looking forward to his sons and daughters hitting the racetrack
in 2014 is Vickie Desomer, who has high hopes for the offspring. “Claudius
served 17 mares in 2011,” Vickie noted. “They included such champion mares as
Walter and Patty Peterson’s Kimmie Girl, Denise and Tim Maier’s Smooth Jazz and
our mare Ahh Saundra.
“His
first foals are now weanlings and they appear to carry on the look and
personality of their sire. Claudius proved to be a very able and willing
student of the breeding shed, going about his duties with enthusiasm and
class.”
It should be pointed out that Debra Budahn had the opportunity to stand
Claudius Augustus elsewhere to a greater number of mares, but chose to keep him
close by her in California and the harness industry in the Golden State is much
better off because of that decision.
This
year, the 8-year-old son of Angus Hall was bred to eight mares and then at the
conclusion of the breeding season was returned to training duties with Bob
Johnson. “It’s my guess that Claudius will have as much success in the breeding
shed as he’s had on the racetrack,” Desomer added. “He was wonderful to handle
and easy to work with. We’ll be watching him with interest.”
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A
reminder to exotics players that there are three wagers offered here with a
reduced 16 percent takeout rate and featuring carryovers. They are the 50 cent
Pick 5 that starts on the third race, the $1 Pick 4 with a $25,000-guaranteed
gross pool that begins with the 11th race and a 10 cent Super High 5
on the finale.
SURVIVOR FINALES, OPEN TROT HEADLINE
CARD
Finales
of the Survivor 1 and Survivor 2 series for pacing fillies and mares and an
Open Trot headline the Friday night program at Cal Expo.
Getting
most of the attention in the $8,450 Survivor 1 finale will be Pip’s Jenny G.,
who captured two divisions of the opening legs; and Charmer and Gentle Dragon,
who had their pictures taken after the other two divisions. Looking at the
$8,100 Survivor 2, opening leg winners Dawnlikeslillies and Feetdon’tfailmenow
get top billing.
Pip’s
Jenny G is an 11-year-old daughter of Balanced Attack who carries the banner of
Juan Pacheco with Lester Smith the conditioner and Luke Plano once again handling
the lines. She was a punctual favorite in the first two legs, coming from well
back to prevail opening week and then putting her versatility on display with a
coast-to-coast performance in last week’s get-together.
Charmer
parlayed a pocket trip into a sharp victory in her division of the second leg
for owner/trainer/driver Paul Welence, while Gentle Dragon had to settle for a
fourth-place finish in that affair after a dominating win on opening week for
trainer Raul Escobedo.
Feetdon’tfailmenow is the likely choice in the Survivor 2 final for
owner Drew Anderson, trainer Bob Johnson and driver Luke Plano. She did her
work from the second tier while going first over last time, while the Phyllis
Crescenti-owned, Richard Dunneback-trained Dawnlikeslillies upset that one at
14-1 in the second leg and will get more respect now. Tim Maier will be in the
sulky.
The Open Trot goes as third race on the evening and finds recent winners
Franky Provolone and Giles L S Hanover taking on the returning Claudius
Augustus, invading Be Famous and Shelby County.
Giles
L S Hanover prevailed at the head of the class on opening week for trainer Bob
Johnson and pilot Steve Wiseman, while Franky Provolone came off the bench
ready to rock and roll in last weekend’s Open and posted an upset with Tim
Maier handling the lines. First post for the 15-race program is 5:55 p.m.
