Knittels and Johnson
continue stakes appetite
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
It’s been all about the Wayne
and Rod Knittel/Bob Johnson connection when it comes to the 3-year-old pacing
stakes here at Cal Expo, as last weekend saw Allmyx’sliveintexas and Moonstone
Beach once again flexing muscles in their respective divisions.
Allymx’sliveintexas is a Hi
Ho Silverheel’s homebred who races for the Knittels and takes his lessons from
Johnson. He has left little doubt while sweeping the first three big-money
events for the sophomore pacing colts.
He proved last week he can be
just as effective over a sloppy track, as he splashed home by 10 lengths with
regular pilot Mooney Svendsen sitting chilly in the sulky and basically never
gave them a chance.
Moonstone Beach has been
exerting similar dominance among the 3-year-old pacing fillies and also had no
trouble with the off going as she waltzed home by five and a quarter lengths
with Svendsen.
Moonstone Beach is a homebred
daughter of Crisis Situation who changed tactics for last weekend’s trophy
earner by going coast-to-coast for Svendsen. She’s a half-sister to Avila
Beach, who is fresh from capturing the most recent Sire Stakes for the
4-year-old pacing mares for the Knittel/Johnson/Svendsen team.
Just for good measure a bit
later on the Saturday card, a third starter from the mare Bj’s Beach Fire was
seen posing for pictures as Pismo Beach got the job done, with this former
stakes winner now going over the $100,000 earnings mark.
As for Moonstone Beach and
Avila Beach, Johnson has noted that while they both have great ability, they
are different physical types. “Avila Beach is frail and a bit on the skinny
side, while Moonstone Beach is a big, muscular filly. They both have a great
attitude.”
Flameon, One and Only
command spotlight
Stan Bergstein Trot winner
Flameon and Lloyd Arnold Pace runner-up One And Only get top billing in
Saturday night’s co-features at Cal Expo.
There will be 11 races on tap
under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 6:15 p.m. The
trotting headliner goes as the third race, while the pacing main event occupies
the fifth-race slot on the card.
Flameon is a 6-year-old son
of Angus Hall who is owned and was bred by Mark Anderson, resides in the Gordie
Graham barn and will be handled by Chip Lackey. He showed the way to deep
stretch in his seasonal debut before being caught by Northern Stormont, then
turned the tables on that rival in last week’s Stan Bergstein.
Sent off the 9-5 second
choice in that contest, Flameon took the field start to finish for Lackey with
a length and a quarter to spare, with the 1-2 choice Northern Stormont making a
miscue in the sloppy going. He will be doing his work from the assigned No. 10
post this weekend.
One And Only was a solid
second in the Lloyd Arnold Pace last week, which was also decided over a sloppy
track. The 8-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight races for Richard Morita and
David Yamada with Lino Pacheco the conditioner and Gerry Longo driving and he
recently went over the $200,000 earnings plateau with a 1:51 2/5 career
standard.
A reminder there are two
wagers offered here each night that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout
rate. They are the 50-cent Pick 5, which features a 25 percent minor pool
payout; and the 20-cent Pick 4, which comes with a $40,000-guaranteed pool on
Saturdays and a $25,000 guarantee on Sundays.
*******
Next week will find the
trotters and pacers in action on Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, with no
live racing on Easter Sunday, March 27
