CISCO’S
TROTTING, PACING COMPANIONS STREAKING
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Last Friday
night was a productive one for driver Scott Cisco, as he guided El Azteca to
his fifth straight victory in the opening leg of the Jim Grundy Trotting series
and was also in the sulky for Babe Ridge’s first Sire Stakes decision.
El Azteca is
one of the sharpest performers on the grounds at the moment and is the pride
and joy of Marco Rios, who bred, owns and trains the 4-year-old son of Panama
Hanover. He already has his share of stakes trophies on the mantle and now has
sights set on the Grundy crown.
“He had a week
off before the first leg of the Grundy and Marco did a great job keeping him
sharp,” Cisco related. “He’s so good that he can get the job done either on the
front end or from behind right now and he’s just as game as a horse can be.”
Scott was well
aware that the trotter to beat last weekend was I Love New York, and that one’s
cause was helped by the fact that he was able to show the way to the far turn
without a challenge. “I was definitely watching Bruce (Clarke),” Cisco noted.
“At the half, my horse started to feel real sharp in the hole and I knew it was
time to come out and go after the leader.
“When I Love
New York started drifting out in the stretch, I ducked my horse inside and he
really responded.” At the wire, El Azteca had three-quarters of a length on I
Love New York and the 1:56 clocking shaved a full second off his previous
lifetime standard.
A bit earlier
on the evening it was Cisco and the 3-year-old pacing filly Babe Ridge who were
posing for pictures after a Sire Stakes event. The John Darrah homebred is
trained by Amanda Fraser and was winning for the third time in nine appearances
on the season. “We’ve taken our time with this filly and she’s getting better
with every start. She does everything right.”
Can El Azteca
and Babe Ridge keep the momentum going with Cisco at the controls? Stay tuned.
JIM GRUNDY,
SHELLY GOUDREAU SERIES CONTINUE
The second legs
of the Jim Grundy Trotting series and the Shelly Goudreau Pacing series
headline the Friday night action at Cal Expo, with El Azteca and I Love New
York getting top billing in the Grundy while Mobil Big Gun and Ideal Smile head
the Goudreau.
El Azteca comes
into this week’s action riding a five-race winning streak for
owner/trainer/breeder Marco Rios and pilot Scott Cisco. The 4-year-old son of
Panama Hanover is a multiple stakes winner and scored an impressive victory in
last week’s opening leg of the Grundy as the second choice.
Sitting fourth
in the early stages of that event, Cisco came after favored pace-setter I Love
New York at the half. Dropping inside that rival for the stretch drive, El
Azteca responded and prevailed by three-quarters of a length in a lifetime-best
1:56 clocking while coming a :27 4/5 final quarter.
I Love New York
will be gunning for some revenge after doing the heavy lifting and having to
settle for second in the Grundy kick-off. A 5-year-old homebred son of Broadway
Hall, the dark-hued performer carries the banner of Jack Coffey, Patricia
Waldeck and Bruce Clarke with Clarke doing the driving and training.
Ideal Smile
and Mobil Big Gun accounted for the two divisions of last weekend’s Goudreau
opening leg. The former is a Michael Peral colorbearer from the Randal Smith
barn who has captured three of his last four trips to the post here with
back-to-back 1:53 4/5 career-best clockings.
Mobil Big Gun
did the stalk-and-pounce to perfection last week to win going away. Toman
Interprises Inc is the owner, George Anthrop trains and Luke Plano will once
again guide the Michigan-bred 6-year-old and he has really picked up his game
in his last couple of starts and has to be respected right back.
