Delta Breezeoflodi
delivers in Grundy Trot
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Delta Breezeoflodi owned the
Jim Grundy Trot, narrowly capturing the Grundy Prep over a sloppy track and
then scoring a definitive victory in last weekend’s Final while once again
catching an off track that she obviously enjoys.
A 4-year-old daughter of Little
Steven out of the multiple stakes-winning Spicy Charlie mare Magna Kay, Delta
Breezeoflodi is actually bred to be a pacer. She is owned by Mary Harris and
Pierre Girard with Girard the conditioner and Luke Plano has been handling the
driving duties.
Last year was a frustrating
one for mare, as she had to settle for just one victory from her 26 starts with
13 place and show finishes, but this season she’s already made four trips to
the winner’s circle from her eight appearances, including the two Grundy scores
and a tally in the Gary Budahn Prep.
“She was a 2-year-old when we
switched her over to trotting,” Girard explained. “We couldn’t get her to pace
at all, but when we took off the hopples it was a different story.
“As far as last year goes, I
wasn’t disappointing because trotters often need more time, and even though she
wasn’t winning very much, she was developing with every race and putting in a
real good finish almost every time.
“Luke Plano has been very
important to her success this year, because he does a great job with her. I
knew she would like the off tracks, because we get a lot of them at the farm
and she always trains well in the mud.
“The plan now is to give her
a week off and then come back for the next Sire Stakes. Hopefully she can
continue to race well with those horses.”
Contentious cast set
for Filly-Mare Open
A well-matched field of
distaffers in the $6,600 Filly and Mare Open Pace and a pair of
California Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old pacers and trotters are the
highlights on Saturday night’s Cal Expo program.
Watch and Wager LLC will
present 13 races and the action is set to get underway at 6:15 p.m. The Distaff
Open goes as the ninth race on the evening, while the two Sire Stakes will be
decided as non-betting events prior to the regular card.
Trainer Kathleen Plested is
strongly represented in the Filly and Mare Open with Party Hangover Two and
Shark Festival giving the barn two solid looks at the outcome in the field of
seven.
Party Hangover Two is owned
by the trainer, Arnstine and Chambers and will have Steve Wiseman once again
doing the honors. The Party At Artsplace mare captured the most recent clash at
this level two weeks ago, surging when it counted to prevail by a length at the
3-2 favorite.
Shark Festival is a
6-year-old Shadow Play mare who carries the banner of Medinah Racing and Scott
Ehrlich and will have Mooney Svendsen in his usual spot in the sulky. The
long-fused performer has a pair of Open victories to her credit this season,
the most recent coming on January 28 in a very game mile.
McFoolery is going in sharp
form for owner John Obert and trainer Jennifer Sabot and looms a major player
with Chip Lackey handling the lines. She parlayed a conditioned victory to an
Open win on February 3 and finished strongly when runner-up to Party Hangover
Two at most recent asking.
Completing the field are
Window Wiper with David Siegel; Magnifique, who will have the services of Luke
Plano; Directing Traffic with James Kennedy; and Blue Gem, who leaves from the
cozy inside slot with William Hernandez.
