By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Saturday night’s Keith Willey
Memorial Trot is named for the popular horseman who passed away last September
at the age of 81 following a three-month battle with cancer.
Willey resided in Sacramento
County for 43 years, 26 of which were spent in Herald. He served as a full-time
military officer in the California National Guard from 1953 until his
retirement in 1992, reaching the rank of Colonel.
He also served as air defense
commander and comptroller with the California State Military Department.
One of his true loves was
harness racing and he was a driver, trainer, owner and breeder while an
extremely popular member of the fraternity. He was recalled as “A self-taught
computer guru, photographer, pilot, lover of old country music, a Mr. Fix-it
and a cowboy at heart who liked challenges.”
Keith was survived by his
wife Deborah and son Kenneth, plus numerous dogs, cats and horses.
Nathalie Tremblay said,
“Keith was a great friend and business partner for both me and my dad Nicol. We
used to love to go his farm in the summer and train over his half-mile track.
“Keith loved every animal
that was born and raised on his farm, and there was always a place for them.”
As far as performers go,
Nathalie remembers a special place in Willey’s heart for the trotter KD
Justice. “Both Keith and my dad won with him. I also remember a time when KD
Justice broke Keith’s leg, and he didn’t even realize it at the time!”
Jim Perez said, “Keith always
supported California harness racing. He was on the Sire Stakes board of
directors for many years and always loved his Cal-breds. He was a big part of
the Sire Stakes program and is truly missed.”
Keith Willey
Memorial, Sire Stakes headline
The Keith Willey Memorial
Trot featuring Flameon and a pair of $10,000 California Sire Stakes for
3-year-old pacers are the main events on Saturday night’s program at Cal Expo.
There will be 11 races on tap
with first post set for 6:15 p.m. The Keith Willey Trot will go as the fourth
race, while the Sire Stakes for pacing colts occupies the sixth-race slot and
the pacing fillies stakes will be a non-betting event prior to the regular
program.
In the two Sire Stakes,
owner/breeders Wayne and Rod Knittel and trainer Bob Johnson will look to
continue their domination with homebreds Allmyx’sliveintexas and Moonstone
Beach and Mooney Svendsen will once again guide both performers.
Allmyx’sliveintexas is a son
of Hi Ho Silverheel’s out of the Distinguishedbarn mare Annie Get Your Gun who
has captured five of his nine starts, including the opening leg of the Lonnie
Beck Series and all four Sire Stakes decided for the sophomore pacing colts.
In the most recent big-money
clash for this group two weeks, Svendsen sent the 1-5 favorite right to the
front and he widened in the stretch, reporting home with seven lengths to spare
while missing his lifetime mark by two ticks with the 1:55 flat final clocking.
Moonstone Beach has likewise
dominated the 3-year-old pacing fillies for the Knittel/Johnson/Svendsen
combination. She is by Crisis Situation out of the Beach Towel mare Bj’s Beach
Fire and has prevailed in five of her seven outings, with four of those scores
resulting in stakes trophies.
