By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
This weekend’s three series finales at Cal Expo honor
the memory and contributions of Alan Kirschenbaum, Richard Staley and Marvin
Shapiro.
Kirschenbaum was a major factor in California as an owner, breeder and amateur driver for many years. With his stallions Little Steven and British Sterling standing at Cherry Tree Farm in Wilton, he helped support the industry in California.
In the past, he had even waived his stallion fees to help the California horsemen breed their mares to help the horse population survive in the Golden State. He was also a huge supporter of the California Sire Stakes and amateur races.
Richard
Staley, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 66,was one of the top owners to
ever campaign trotters and pacers in California. He was involved in the sport
for more than 25 years and during that entire period had only one trainer, Hall
of Famer Doug Ackerman.
Over the
years Staley and Ackerman would regularly go to the major sales to select and
purchase the regally-bred years that became the bulwark of the Staley Stable
and provided California harness racing with many of his classiest performers.
Marvin
Shapiro was the son of L.K. Shapiro, who owned the Hall of Fame thoroughbred
and California-bred champion Native Diver. He was the president of Western
Harness Racing Inc. in the 1960s and spearheaded legislation that sanctioned
night racing in California. He died in 2003 at the age of 83.
Marvin Shapiro Finale, Open Pace in
spotlight
A
contentious $7,350 finale of the Marvin Shapiro Pacing Series and an Open Pace
headed by One And Only are the main events on Saturday night’s Watch and Wager
LLC program at Cal Expo.
Itsabouttonight
and Plum Crazy Baby captured the two divisions of the first leg of the Shapiro,
while last week saw one division and it was Majestic Lass who come rolling late
to post a $47 upset.
An
8-year-old daughter of Art Major, Majestic Lass is owned by Kimberly Andres, is
conditioned by Salvador Wenceslao and will have Mooney Svendsen in the sulky.
No threat in the first leg of the Shapiro, she came back last week to be up by
a head over another longshot in Pip’s Jenny G., with the $1 exacta returning a
cool $515 in that affair.
Itsabouttonight
will represent owner/trainer Gretchen Smith with Tim Maier at the helm. The
Illinois-bred mare dominated her division of the opening leg over a sloppy
track, then was a close third last weekend after opening up a large lead at the
head of the stretch that evening.
Plum
Crazy Baby is a 6-year-old Relentless Yankee mare who carries the banner of
Derick Takahashi with Dario Solares training and Dave Siegel doing the honors.
She was a very convincing victress in the first leg, then was first over in her
most recent appearance and had to settle for the fourth as the 8-5 favorite
behind Majestic Lass.
Completing the field are Red Star Gilda with Williams
Hernandez; No Mo Parking for Mike Jarvis; Curvacious with Luke Plano in the
sulky; Pip’s Jeeny G, Patrick Galbraith; and Little Schoolgirl, who leaves from
the outside slot with James Kennedy at the helm.
One
And Only gets top billing in the Open Pace for owners Richard Morita and David
Yamada, trainer Lino Pacheco and driver Luke Plano. The son of Bettor’s Delight
rattled off five straight wins between December 21 and February 1 before having
the streak broken at most recent asking after doing his work from the demanding
No. 10 post position.
