CHERRY TREE NICOLE HAS WINNING HABIT
By Mark
Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
With her 11 trips to the charmed enclosure from 18 starts this season, Cherry Tree Nicole is tied as the winningest trotter in the nation going into this week’s action with only one performer of either gait sporting more victories.
The
long-fused mare will attempt to add to her total when she suits up in Saturday
night’s fourth race, where she will meet a familiar rival in Dreaming Of Amy.
These two have been trading blows much of the season, with the latter snapping
Cherry Tree Nicole’s three-race winning streak in last week’s clash.
A
7-year-old daughter of British Sterling out of the Cumin mare Yankee
Reflection, Cherry Tree Nicole races for Tim and Denise Maier and has banked
over $120,000 with a 1:57 4/5 standard while reporting to the wire first in 50 of her 153 lifetime outings.
Meanwhile,
Dreaming Of Amy has proven to be a solid claim by Kc C Carvalho and trainer Tim
Brown and is eyeing her seventh win on the year from 17 attempts with regular
pilot Luke Plano. She had some traffic trouble two weeks ago, then turned in a
big mile last time to romp by two and a half-lengths in a lifetime-best 1:57
3/5 clocking.
“Both
Dreaming Of Amy and Cherry Tree Nicole are real nice mares and kind of stand
out with this group,” Plano related. “It’s really all about position and the
trip. My mare is handier, because she can leave, while Cherry Tree Nicole can
take an awful lot of air and gives you a real strong finish.”
PACERS DO BATTLE IN MAIN EVENT
Mobil
Big John, who has been mixing it up with the likes of One And Only, Gold Deuce
and Split Ticket in his last several appearances, gets some class relief and
deserves the edge in Saturday night’s $3,400 pacing feature at Cal Expo. Fist
post is set for 7:20 p.m.
Mobil
Big John is a 6-year-old by On The Ribs Again who carries the banner of Toman
Enterprises LTD, takes his lessons from George Anthrop and will once again have
the services of Gene Vallandingham. He was a 1:53 victor at Colonial last
season and has a 1:54 4/5 score here earlier in the meeting.
As
mentioned earlier, the Anthrop trainee has been doing his recent work with some
pretty tough rivals, with the last three outings coming at the Open I level
where has been following One And Only and Gold Deuce home, respectively. He
should be much more comfortable in this spot and will likely makes his presence
felt no matter how things shake out early.
Mystery
Card is fresh from a runner-up finish behind Doc’s Zippy under these conditions
for owner/trainer/driver Clint Warrington Jr. The 5-year-old Alberta-bred son
of As Promised has a 1:53 3/5 tally at this session and is looking to reconnect
after posting two seconds and two thirds from his last four trips to the post.
Rich
Native got the show money in that Doc’s Zippy affair last week and helps make
things interesting. Steve Wiseman reins and trains the son of Allamerican
Native for James Covemaker and he established his 1:54 1/5 career standard
earlier at this session. He has been making some menacing noises and may be
ready to get back to the charmed circle.
Ra
Ra Steven had the tough No. 9 slot in last week’s outing and was never able to
get into the action, but his best effort puts him right in the thick of things.
The homebred son of Little Steven races for Billie Schwartz, David Rachford and
Junior Wilkinson with Wilkinson the conditioner and Rich Wojcio in his usual
spot in the sulky.
Rounding
out the cast are Silver Spir, who will be handled by Mooney Svendsen; and
Smiling Major, who has David Siegel at the helm. There is a 10-race card on tap
Saturday night, with the feature going as the fifth event.
*********
There
will be no racing here on Friday, May 24, with closing night of the Watch and
Wager LLC meet set for Saturday, May 25.
