Franky Provolone earns
another photo session
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Last week saw Franky
Provolone getting the job done and going over the $200,000 earnings plateau in
the process, putting a big smiile on the face of owner/trainer Robin Clements.
The 9-year-old trotting son
of Armbro Scribe had come up wanting in his previous few starts, but was all
business last weekend as he did the track-and-attack to perfection for Steve
Wiseman and posted a two and three-quarter lengths decision over favored
pacesetter Bellini Martini.
“Steve had driven Franky the
week before and commented that he didn’t seem that good, even behind the gate,”
Clements related. “We actually had a spot reserved for him on Steve’s van for
Minnesota, but after that race we both agreed that maybe Franky needed to skip
Minnesota and take the summer off.”
As a result, Robin decided to
train Franky Provolone a little harder than she normally would and felt
fortunate that Wiseman was available to once again handle the veteran trotter
last weekend.
“He asked me if he should
duck Franky off the gate and I stated laughing,” Clements explained. “I asked
if him if I had ever told him how to drive this horse, and he answered no.”
Steve and Robin did figure
that the rail mare Tour Guide was going to leave away from there as she
normally does, leaving Franky Provolone in a good tracking position if he left
a bit from his No. 6 post. It worked out nicely.
“Steve always gets along with
Franky and drove him perfect the other night, and even though he won and looked
like his old self, he’s still going to get the summer off and will go down to
my friend Jennifer Sperry’s farm in Patterson.”
Knittel homebreds head
sophomore Sire Stakes
The combination of
owner/breeders Wayne and Rod Knittel, trainer Bob Johnson and driver Mooney
Svendsen will attempt to continue their domination of the 3-year-old pacing
Sire Stakes ranks on Saturday night with Allmyx’sliventexas and Moonstone
Beach.
A 12-race card is scheduled
with first post set for 6:25 p.m. The $10,000 Sire Stakes for colts will go as
the fifth event on the evening, while the $10,000 contest for fillies will be a
non-betting affair prior to the regular card.
Allmyx’sliventexas is a son
of Hi Ho Silverheel’s out of the Distinguishedbaron mare Annie Get Your Gun who
has won six of 10 starts, including victories in the opening leg of the Lonnie
Beck Series and all five Sire Stakes decided for the division.
The bay performer was 10 cents
on the dollar when this group suited up most recently two weeks ago and did not
disappoint his many backers. Racing over a sloppy track, he went right to the
front for Svendsen and reported to the wire with five and a half-lengths to
spare.
Taking him on are Rock of
Ages with Mike Jarvis; One More Chance, Luke Plano; Mathachusetts with Steve
Wiseman; and Midnight Adventure, who has the services of James Kennedy.
Like her stablemate,
Moonstone Beach has captured all five stakes trophies for the sophomore
distaffers. This Knittel homebred is by Crisis Situation out of the Beach Towel
mare Bj’s Beach Fire and is gunning for her seventh win from eight trips to the
post.
In the last stakes clash two
weeks ago, Moonstone Beach romped home by five and three-quarter lengths for
Svendsen over the sloppy going. Plain Awesome and Little Emma will once again
face her on Saturday.
