Rick Bertrand proves
longshot players delight
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Rick Bertrand lit up the
toteboard twice last Friday night, sending out Winonefordoug and Lucky Ivan for
major upsets on the program.
Wineonefordoug, a 7-year-old
son of Little Steven who is co-owned by Bertrand and namesake Doug Flores, was
perfectly handled by Mooney Svendsen and prevailed by three-quarters of a
length for the $53 surprise.
Not to be outdone, stablemate
Lucky Ivan went out four races later and posted a $100 shocker with owner
Bertrand in the sulky. He was making his third start off a March 11 claim and
came from next-to-last in the field of 10 to be up in the final strides.
Lucky Ivan’s upset rounded
was the wow factor in a 20-cent Pick 4 that returned a cool $2,757, despite the
fact that the sequence got underway with 2-1 Anderlecht taking the feature and
an 8-5 I’m An Athlete showing his past class in a conditioned event.
Following Lucky Ivan’s
triple-digit victory, it was 5-1 Hare To Eternity who rounded things out and
secured that sweet payoff for a mere 20-cent investment.
Speaking of the Pick 4, it’s
one of two wagers offered here each night that come with a reduced 16 percent
takeout rate. It also has a $30,000-guaranteed pool on Fridays and a $40,000
guarantee on Saturdays.
The other reduced takeout bet
is the 50-cent Pick 5, which is decided on the first five races each evening.
There is real value to be had in both these wagers, so take a closer look at
the sequences and get your share.
Anderlecht, Jazzmanian
Devil in rematch
Anderlecht and Jazzmanian
Devil, one-two in a solid mile last week, get another chance to settle the
score in Saturday night’s featured pace. A field of eight will face starter Ken
Fowler.
A 12-race program is on tap
under the banner of Watch and Wager LLC and things will get underway at 6:15
p.m. The headliner is set as the ninth contest and there will also be a
California Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotters to be decided as a non-betting
race prior to the regular card.
Anderlecht is a 12-year-old
son of Cam’s Card Shark who is owned by William Neumeister, hails from the
Sparky Clarke barn and will once again have Luke Plano giving directions.
In last week’s Open II Pace,
he was up close and personal from the outset and dug in gamely to hold safe in
the stretch over Jazzmanian Devil, the slight 2-1 favorite in that affair and
shuffled past the half. The latter pacer races for William Condon with Kathleen
Plested training and Mooney Svendsen guiding.
Rounding out the cast are Fly
Away, who gives the Plested barn two looks at the outcome; the Gene
Vallandingham-trained Mr. Pearl; the Lino Pacheco-conditioned duo of
Bettermeboy and One And Only; V Mack from the George Reider shedrow and the Bob
Johnson-trained Paydaze A Rockin.
Looking at the Sire Stakes,
Lodi Puppycat will look to complete his dominance of the division for
owner/breeders Mary Harris and Pierre Girard with Girard the conditioner and
Luke Plano once again doing the honors.
The son of Eager Seelster has
captured all four of the big-money events for the sophomore trotters, proving
in his most recent stakes score that a sloppy track is also in his wheelhouse.
He will be challenged by Lodi Jazz Player, Never Onebadchange and Indio Azteca.
