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Thursday, February 14, 2013

CalX1 - Thursday Barn Notes


PICK 5 CARRYOVER, GUARANTEED POOLS, REDUCED

TAKEOUT SPICE THE FRIDAY NIGHT ACTION

By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness

 
There were no winning tickets last Saturday evening in the Pick 5, the result being an $8,533 carryover into Friday’s Pick 5, which will now feature a $40,000-guaranteed gross pool and offers a reduced 16 percent takeout rate.

The Pick 5, which is conducted nightly on the third through seventh races, is one of three wagers here at Cal Expo with the reduced 16 percent takeout. The others are the $1 Pick 4, which covers the penultimate four events on the card; and the 10-cent High 5 on the nightcap that challenges players to predict the first five finishers across the line.

The Pick 4, Pick 5 and High 5 each feature 100 percent carryover provisions in the event there are no winning tickets, and the Pick 4 sports a $20,000-guaranteed pool on Friday and a $25,000 guarantee on Saturday.

The average payout for the 50-cent Pick 5 this season has been $2,800, so it’s certainly been worth the effort. Jump right in, the water in this pool is fine. 

 

STALEY SERIES FINALE, SIRE STAKES TOP BILL


The $10,950 Richard Staley Trotting series final and a pair of $10,000 California Sire Stakes for 3-year-olds have the spotlight Friday night at the Watch and Wager LLC meet at Cal Expo.

Opening Staley leg winners Dreaming Of Amy and Twice The Ruckus clash in that event, while Show Runner and Strings top the cast for the distaff pacing stakes and It’s Not Over gets the marquee treatment in the trotting stakes that combines fillies and colts. The Sire Sakes will go as non-betting events prior to the regular program.

Dreaming Of Amy is a 6-year-old Illinois-bred daughter of Banderas Hall who carries the banner of Kc C Carvalho with Tim Brown the conditioner and Luke Plano in his usual spot in the sulky. She comes into this assignment having won four of her six appearances on the year.

The bay mare was claimed from her January 15 victory, then finished second in a dead-heat in the first leg of the Staley. Sent off the narrow 6-5 choice in last week’s get-together, Plano sat a stalking trip for a half. Out first-over at that point, Dreaming Of Amy made the lead into the stretch and showed the way home by a head over a fast-closing Chiselled.

The latter is an 8-year-old from the Frank Petrelli barn who has been second in both legs. Racing for Owen Eiler Jr. with Mooney Svendsen in the bike, he came home in :27 and change last week and comes into this assignment in sharp form.

Twice The Ruckus was a game winner of the opening leg and then finished a close third in the penultimate leg. Denise Maier owns, Tim Maier trains and James Kennedy will again be in the sulky. The 9-year-old son of Ilooklikemymom should be right in the thick of things from the outset.

Completing the field are the George Reider-trained Bobby Baccala, who is co-owned by his conditioner and Dave and Rob Haness with Chip Lackey guiding; Loose Cannon for owner Robert Bacon, trainer Bob Johnson and driver Steve Wiseman; and Earls Dreamofglory, who is co-owned by his pilot Dave Siegel, his trainer Bernie Wolin, Bob Thronson and Greg Robinson.

Looking at the two stakes races, It’s Not Over will have Mooney Svendsen guiding in the trotting event and will be challenged by Freedombird (Steve Wiseman), Jewel Of Lodi (Pierre Girard), Lightning Of Lodi (James Kennedy) and Panama Joe (Tim Maier). In the pacing affair, Show Runner (Tim Maier) and Strings (Mooney Svendsen) face off against Blue Gem (Harold Herrera), Dancing Fool and Babe Ridge (Scott Cisco).