Swift Cougar making
nice impression
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Swift Cougar is off to a
great start at this meet for trainer Kennedy Lindsey, as the trotting mare has
won two of her three starts, and would probably be three-for-three if not for
an early miscue in her lone setback.
A 4-year-old daughter of
Armbro Tropicana, Swift Cougar carries the banner of Mary Harris and Stephen
Grollnek and has been handled in each of her California starts by Mooney
Svendsen.
She romped home at 3-1 in her
local debut, made a break at the start in her next try over a sloppy track at
next asking and had to settle for second, then made amends back on firm going
last weekend in coast-to-coast fashion as the 4-5 favorite.
“I was impressed when I raced
against her this summer in Illinois,” Lindsey related when asked about the
trotter. “I wanted to buy her, but she had been promised to the Amish, so I
ended up buying her from them.
“The first start here was
strong, then she was a little fussy at the start in the second one over an off
track, but she caught on after that one and went a big mile to get second. Her
win the other night was awfully strong and Mooney says she drives like a
Cadillac.
“It’s kind of funny, because
when she trains she can be a real handful, but when it comes time to race it’s
a different story. I expect big things from her, and right now we’re just
working on keeping her quiet and working up the ladder. We’ve got our fingers
crossed.”
Swift Cougar will get tested
in class in her next assignment, suiting up in Friday night’s Gary Budahn Prep,
and it will be interesting to see if she can keep the momentum going.
Gary Budahn Prep brings
out full field
A contentious field is set to
line up for Friday night’s Gary Budahn Prep with Talkin Tootsie, Big Baller and
Swift Cougar among the major players.
There will be 12 races on tap
Friday with a first post of 5:55 p.m. and the main event goes as the sixth
event on the evening. The co-feature is a $4,400 Open II event for pacing
fillies and mares headed by Window Wiper.
Talkin Tootsie is a
4-year-old daughter of Cantab Hall who is owned by the partnership of Garey,
Wieseneck and Johnson with Bob Johnson the conditioner. She has prevailed in
her five of her nine starts and looks to have a very bright future.
Big Baller is a 10-year-old
son of Panama Hanover out of the Rowdy Yankee mare Charming Spirit who races
for the partnership of Siegel, Robinson, Thronson and Reider with George Reider
the conditioner and co-owner David Siegel in the sulky.
The veteran made his 2017
debut a winning one last weekend, as he got a perfect pocket journey under
Siegel’s direction and came home smartly for the length and three-quarters
tally. The 1:57 1/5 final clocking shaved a full second and a fifth off his
previous lifetime standard.
Swift Cougar is a 4-year-old
mare who has accounted for two of her three starts since relocating from
Illinois for owners Mary Harris and Stephen Grollnek and trainer Kennedy
Lindsey. She gets tested for class with this assignment.
Completing the field are
Delta Breezeoflodi, Drink At Last Call, Tour Guide, Hatfield and McCoy, Katie
Mouse, Lodi Bank Robber and Franky Provolone.
