For Opinion, click here for View from the Racetrack Grandstand

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Cal Expo Saturday Barn Notes

Cadet and Silverlode singing in the rain
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness

Last Saturday night saw a sloppy track here at Cal Expo, which played right into the hands of the Team Desomer trotters Cadet and Silverlode.

Cadet dusted his rivals with an eight and quarter-length romp with Mark Kennedy at the controls, while Silverlode lost a nose heartbreaker in the Keith Willey Memorial with Steve Wiseman giving directions.

Cadet and Silverlode are both out of the outstanding Website mare Charlotte’s Web, who has also produced two other stakes winners in Placer and Kissed The Boys for Steve and Vickie Desomer.

“Anytime the track is even a bit off, it moves Cadet and Silverlode up a notch,” Vickie related. “Silverlode is as good now as she’s ever been and it is our pleasure to have Steve Wiseman substitute in the bike.”

Cadet left little doubt in his victory last weekend, blasting right to the front for Mark Kennedy over the sloppy going and making 3-2 look like an early Christmas gift in the process.

Cadet will get one more shot at a stakes trophy with his 4-year-old peers on May 7, closing weekend of this meeting, when he suits up against the likes of Sandy’s Song and Zoey’s Delight, who both finished behind him this last time around.

“Cadet is certainly no pleasure to drive, but Mark has done a great job,” Desomer noted. “Our trotters have given us a good meet and we look forward to giving them some much deserved time in the pasture starting next month.”

Open Pace brings out One And Only

One And Only, coming off a pair of solid efforts at the head of the class, appears to hold the aces in Saturday night’s featured $6,600 Open Pace at Cal Expo.

There will be an 11-race card with first post set for 6:25 p.m. The headliner will go as the sixth contest on the evening with a half-dozen pacers doing battle.

One And Only is an 8-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight who campaigns for Richard Morita and David Yamada with Lino Pacheco the conditioner. He is looking to add to a $210,000 bankroll and sports a 1:51 2/5 lifetime standard.

The hard-hitting performer recorded his most recent tally on April 3 in game, first-over fashion, prevailing by two and a half-lengths in a 1:52 3/5 tour.

Leaving from the outside slot in last week’s clash at the top rung, One And Only carved out all the fractions but was unable to hold off favored Jazzmanian Devil and had to settle for the exacta completion.

Bettor In The Bank is moving back up to this level after proving clearly best in a conditioned affair last week, giving him four wins from 12 starts this season. The Canadian-bred son of Bettor Tuwin is owned by Debra McCarthy, is conditioned by Gordie Graham and will once again have the services of Mike Jarvis.

Rounding out the field are Bettermeboy, who gives the Pacheco barn two looks at the outcome; Rikybrnthegaragdwn for Luke Plano; V Mack from the George Reider stable; and the Steve Wiseman-trained Kukalaka.