All in the name for
Junior Rocks
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
We had a suspicion that
Junior Rocks might be named for trainer Jim (Junior) Wilkinson, and it was
confirmed last weekend by co-owner Billie Schwartz after the 4-year-old pacer
made his second straight trip to the winner’s circle with James Kennedy doing
the honors.
Junior Rocks was proving a
punctual 4-5 favorite that night while posing for pictures for the fifth time
this season from eight trips to the post for Schwartz, Wilkinson and Ivan
Axelrod.
Billie explained, “Ivan and I
felt that Junior did such a bang up job in Indiana for us with A Real Miracle,
Clara Bea and Tony Cheesecake, we thought it would be a great way to honor him
by changing the name of a yearling we purchased at auction as a surprise gift.
“It was a way to let him know
how we felt about him as a trainer and how much we liked having him as a
trainer and partner.”
Schwartz admits that things
didn’t work out so well at first with Junior Rocks, but he seems to be hitting
his best stride now, establishing his 1:55 1/5 mark with his January 28 score.
“We felt badly when he didn't
quite perform the way we expected, but now the name befits him,” she said. “He
grew into it and we couldn't be more pleased.”
Featured Pace brings
out contentious cast
There are several ways to go
in Saturday night’s main event at Cal Expo, with class droppers I’m An Athlete,
Fly Away and One And Only taking on multiple Sire Stakes hero Allmyx’sliventexas.
Watch and Wager LLC will
present 12 races on Saturday and the action is set to get under way at 6:10 pm.
The headliner is the fifth race and there will be two California Sire Stakes
for the 3-year-old pacers going as non-betting races prior to the regular card.
I’m An Athlete figures to
appreciate the class relief this weekend and will be looking to make amends
after being the beaten favorite in his last three appearances. The 7-year-old
son of Art Major is owned by Ronald Rettig-Zucchi and is reined and trained by
James Kennedy.
I’m Athlete won nine times
last year from 35 starts and established his 1:51 2/5 career standard over this
layout in the process. He figures to be a major player Saturday evening no
matter how things shake out early.
Fly Away had a troubled trip
in last week’s Open II clash and was a sharp winner in his previous outing on
the barn change. Scott Ehrlich and George McCrystal own, Kathleen Plested
trains and Steve Wiseman will once again do the honors from the outside slot.
One And Only has gone some
huge races over this track in the past for trainer Lino Pacheco, while the Bob
Johnson-conditioned Allmyx’sliventexas has dominated the 4-year-old Sire Stakes
ranks, including a 1:51 4/5 tally over a “good” track on February 4.
Completing the field are Fly
Away’s barnmate Lodi Machete Man; the Luke Plano trained-and-driven Mint To
Cruise; and the Steve Nichols-trained, William Hernandez-guided Fire On The
Water.
