Kennedy sets sights on
driving milestone
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
James Kennedy, who is quickly
approaching driving victory No. 1,000, will attempt to get closer to that
plateau on Saturday when he guides the up-and-coming Midnight Adventure in
Saturday night’s California Sire Stakes for pacing colts.
Kennedy comes into the
program with 991 trips to the charmed enclosure, and three of those scores have
come with Midnight Adventure, who carries the banner of his breeders Mark
Anderson and Debra McCarthy and calls the Gordie Graham barn his home.
“He’s got a lot of talent,
for sure,” Kennedy related when asked about the pacer. “He was still a little
green in that second start, making a break when I tried to get him into a hole
and he got upset, but now he’s pretty much push-button.”
Midnight Adventure has won
his last two starts impressively, including the Lonnie Beck Series final, on
both occasions engaging in heated stretch exchanges with Allmyx’sliveintexas.
“They’ve had a couple of real good battles,” the pilot noted.
As for being on the verge of
1,000 victories, James admits he never could have dreamed of such a thing when
he first started driving. “I don’t know if you remember, but I went something
like 0-for-165 before I got my first win. It was a horse named Watch Me Dream
for my dad.”
Despite that
less-than-stellar start, Kennedy has established himself as one of the top
drivers and trainers on the grounds, currently housing nine performers in his
shedrow. Among that group is I’m An Athlete for Ronald Rettig-Zucchi, who has
rattled off three straight Open victories.
“I enjoy getting behind my
horses, and went I don’t have one in a race, I like driving for other people.
If I could, I’d love to be in every race every night.”
Pair of Sire Stakes
matching sophomore pacers
Two $10,000 California Sire
Stakes for 3-year-old pacers highlight the Saturday night card at Cal Expo,
with Midnight Adventure and Allmyx’sliventexas heading the colt division, while
Little Emma looms large in the filly contest. A 12-race card is on tap with
first post set for 6:25 p.m.
Midnight Adventure is
homebred son of Kent’s On Nuke out of Kb’s Midnight who races for Mark
Anderson and Debra McCarthy, hails from the Gordie Graham barn and will once
again have James Kennedy in the sulky.
The dark-hued performer
earned his graduation papers in his January 9 debut, then lost all chance in
his next start in the opening leg of the Lonnie Beck Series after making a
break.
Midnight Adventure has been
all business in his last two appearances, however, with a game victory in the
Beck finale followed by a lifetime-best 1:55 1/5 score in a conditioned event
last weekend.
Allmyx’sliventexas is a Wayne
and Rod Knittel homebred son of Hi Ho Silverheel’s who takes his lessons from
Bob John and will have Mooney Svendsen handling the lines. He romped in the
Lonnie Beck opening leg and has been Midnight Adventure’s most immediate victim
in the Beck final and that conditioned contest last week.
Rounding out the cast are
Rock Of Ages with Luke Plano; Mathachusetts, to be guided by Steve Wiseman; and
One More Chance, who has the services of Chip Lackey.
Looking at the filly
division, Little Emma is coming off a solid come-from-behind score in her third
trip to the post. The Little Steven homebred races for Thomas, Haness and
Reider with George Reider training and David Siegel at the helm. Sassy
Catitude, Plain Awsome and Moonstone Beach complete the field
