Hernandez, Laissezmoipicolor get special victory
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Last Sunday evening was one to remember for both driver Eddie Hernandez and the Sal Wenceslao-trained Laissezmoipicoler, as they recorded the first wins of their respective careers in the eighth race.
The
icing on the cake came 47 minutes later in the nightcap, when Hernandez guided
Lasissezmoipicoler’s full brother Laissez Moi Passer to victory, once again
posing for pictures with owner/breeders Sal and Georgette Wenceslao.
The
Wenceslao performers are by Disco Devil out of the Nirvana mare My Passing
Fancy. Laissez Moi Passer, who set his 1:52 2/5 mark this summer at Vernon
Downs, was winning for the seventh time this year, while his younger brother
was getting the job done for the first time after 12 previous attempts.
“I
was so happy for Eddie,” said Sal, noting that he has also had success with
Hernandez’ younger brother William. “I’ve known him for a lot of years and it
was special to get two wins the other night with him driving.”
Wenceslao
had high hopes for Laissezmoipicoler before he made his debut last year,
especially in light of his older brother being an accomplished Sire Stakes
hero. He admits it’s been a work in progress.
“It’s
just been a matter of his maturing and putting it all together, which he’s
starting to do,” his mentor noted. “I actually took him with me to New York
over the summer and qualified him, but after looking at the competition I
figured it would too much for him and it was better to let him grow a little.”
Laissezmoipicolor
gave an indication of things to come when he set the pace in his November 22
outing, then kept the momentum going in last week’s diploma earner as he made
every pole a winning one at 6-1 with two and a half-lengths back to his nearest
competitor. Not to be outdone, his older brother countered in the finale.
Main event lures At Last, Quality Sport
At
Last, who has used his patented late charge to win two of his last three
appearances, gets the top billing in Saturday night’s $6,000 Open I Handicap
Pace.
There
will be 12 races on tap with a first post of 6:15 p.m. The headliner is set to
go as the ninth on the evening with a field of seven facing starter Ken Fowler.
There will be also be an Open Handicap Trot headed by Jessesjo to be decided as
the third contest on the evening.
At
Last is a 9-year-old Florida-bred son of Western Ideal who comes into this
assignment with $196,000 in his bank account and a 1:52 1/5 mark. He carries
the banner of Mark Anderson, resides in the Gordie Graham barn and will be
handled by Mooney Svendsen.
The
hard-hitting veteran recorded his first win of the meet when he flew home at
22-1 to captured a conditioned affair on November 14 with Chip Lackey at the
controls. After missing by a neck to I’m Real Good at next asking, he returned
to his winning ways in the top dance for the pacing set last weekend.
Sent
off 3-1 with Svendsen in the sulky, At Last trained the field until the stretch,
exploded when the question was asked in the stretch and won going away by a
length and a quarter in a 1:54 1/5 tour.
Quality
Sport was his most immediate victim that evening and comes into the feature
having posed for pictures following two of his last four outings. Ron and Tammy
Wells own the son of Sportsmaster with Steve Wiseman reining and training.
Like
At Last, Quality Sport’s victories at this meeting have come from off the pace
and at juicy 9-1 and 10-1 odds. He was first over in last week’s try, finished
well but could not contain At Last when push came to shove while finishing
clear of the rest in another solid mile.
