Ray’s Rayzer continues to light up board
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Ray’s
Rayzer is quickly becoming the delight of longshot players here at Cal Expo,
rattling off back-to-back victories at 22-1 and 15-1 for the team of
owner/trained Edwin Quevedo and driver Tony Succarotte.
An
11-year-old pacing son of Blisfull Hall, Ray’s Rayzer was the key to a $12,000
Pick 5 payoff two weeks ago, then combined with another long priced horse in KG
Cody to spark a nearly $8,500 return for the 20-cent Super Hi-Five with his
most recent heroics.
While
he’s doing his work at the lower level these days, Ray’s Rayzer has some past
class in his corner. He has a 1:53 4/5 mark and last week’s score puts his
lifetime bankroll at just shy of $170,000.
“I’ve
had him for about three years now and he’s a very easy horse to train,” Quevedo
related. “In his races, he just likes to sit back and come at the end.”
Going
into his November 28 outing, there wasn’t much for bettors to grasp onto as the
veteran pacer had finished a well-beaten ninth in his previous two starts, but
Edwin knew the reason why he had been so lackluster in those miles.
“We
did some blood work and found out he was suffering from anemia,” his mentor
explained. “We treated him and he came back to where he should be.”
The result is those back-to-back scores while igniting
the toteboard under excellent come-from-behind handling from his new best
friend Succarotte. “This horse likes to sit back early and then come at the
end,” Quevedo said. “He’s feeling very good right now.”
Lieutenant
Steve eyes repeat in contentious feature
Handicappers
have their work cut in Sunday’s pacing main event at Cal Expo, with last week’s
winning Lieutenant Steve stepping up to face the likes of Cowboy Cold and One
and Only.
There
is a 12-race card on Sunday and things get underway at 5:05 p.m. The feature
will go as the tenth race on the evening with a full field of 10 set to face
the starter.
Lieutenant
Steve is a 7-year-old son of Look Sharp out of the Big Towner mare Brandilu
Hanover who races for A Piece Of The Action LLC with Gene Vallandingham the
trainer and Chip Lackey in the sulky.
The
Vallandingham representative comes into this assignment with $132,000 in his
bank account and a 1:51 1/5, which was established over the seven-eights
Hoosier Park layout.
After
knocking on the door in several of his previous tries, Lieutenant Steve put it
all together in his most recent appearance while doing his work at a slightly
lower level. Sent off the 4-5 choice with Lackey at the controls, he was out
and moving second-over on the final bend, then flew past the leaders to prevail
by three and a half-lengths.
Cowboy
Cold and One And Only are both getting class relief and will have their share
of backers. The former goes for driver/trainer Luke Plano, while One And Only
hails from the Lino Pacheco barn with James Kennedy giving directions.
A reminder there are two wagers here
that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate. They are the 50-cent Pick 5,
which this season features a 25 percent minor pool payout; and the 20-cent Pick
4, which comes with a $25,000-guaranteed gross pool.
