Schneider trainees
singing in the rain
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
There may have been a deluge
here at Cal Expo last Friday night, but apparently Quentin Schneider’s
performers didn’t mind at all.
Five members of the shedrow
braved the elements on that card and the Schneider barn came away with three
wins and a second on a night that seemed more fit for Noah than harness racing.
Thing got off to a fast start
for Team Schneider when Tick Tick Kaboom got the job done in the opener with
James Kennedy at the controls. It was the fourth victory in the last six trips
to the post for the 3-year-old pacing filly and she made every pole a winning
one to prove a punctual 4-5 favorite.
After Herecomesthethunder
checked in second in the evening’s fifth race, Smoke Eater and Glamorgal
stepped up to capture the eighth and tenth races, respectively, to complete the
hat track.
It was a déjà vu mile for
Smoke Eater, who for the second straight week set all the fractions and held
safe by a neck over a pocket-sitting Musician with Mooney Svendsen at the helm.
For Glamorgal and Kennedy, a
wide rally to the stretch proved the winning formula as the mare responded
gamely at crunch time to prevail by a half-length while rewarding her backers
with a $14 payoff. All in all, it was a good night for Team Schneider.
Barbarian, I’m An
Athlete do battle
I’m An Athlete, who has
rattled off three straight wins including an upset at the head of the class;
and Barbarian, his most immediate victim in that last mile, head the field for
Friday night’s featured Open Pace.
Watch and Watch LLC will
present 12 races Friday with first post set for 6:15 p.m.
I’m An Athlete is a
7-year-old son of Art Major out of the Cam’s Card Shark mare Female Champs who
is owned by Ronald Rettig-Zucchi, is trained by Lino Pacheco and will have the
services of James Kennedy.
After capturing back-to-back
conditioned events, I’m An Athlete returned to the Open ranks for his most
recent assignment with Kennedy at the controls. He stalked to the lane, ignited
when the question was asked and prevailed by a head over 2-5 favorite Barbarian
in a 1:53 1/5 tour over a track labeled good.
Barbarian is a 6-year-old son
of Somebeachsomewhere out of the Western Ideal mare Righteous Renee who races
for owner Robert Orr, takes his lessons from Sparky Clarke and will once again
be guided by Luke Plano.
He had a four-race winning
streak snapped by I’m An Athlete last time, carving out all the fractions in
that affair before being collared right on the money. He was very game in his
previous four scores, including one from the demanding No. 10 post, putting his
class and versatility on display in the process.
Rounding out the field are
Buddy’s Hope, who leaves from the cozy rail slot with William Hernandez;
Jazzmanian Devil, to be handled by Steve Wiseman; and Allymx’sliventexas, who
will have Mooney Svendsen in the sulky.
