By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Smash has been a solid
performer for owner/breeders Junior Wilkinson and Billie Schwartz, with some
Sire Stakes trophies on her mantle and a 1:53 /5 mark that was established this
summer at Hoosier Park under Wilkinson’s direction.
The dark-hued daughter of
Little Steven has posed for pictures twice at this meeting in conditioned
company and is coming off a good runner-up finish behind Shesamysterytome in
last week’s Filly and Mare Open.
“We bred her and we bred her
mother I Need A Miracle and we’re proud of both of them,” Wilkinson related.
“She’s a full sister to A Real Miracle and she’s been good to us.
“She’s had too much for them
when we’ve been able to drop her into conditioned spots, and her last start in
the Open was very good because she got a little unlucky and then was flying at
the end.”
Smash is set to make her next
start Friday night as she once again takes on a solid group of fillies and
mares, including last week’s victress Shesamysterytome, in the featured Open.
She was among four in the
field who were assigned to draw for outside posts and unfortunately got the
short straw in this case and will have to do her work from the from the No. 8
slot for this go-around.
Distaff Open brings out
well-matched field
An evenly-matched field of
eight pacing fillies and mares will do battle in Friday night’s featured $6,600
Open, with Shesamystertome seeking a repeat score at the head of the class.
The main event will go as the
7th contest on an 11-race card under the Watch and Wager LLC banner
with first post set for 6:10 p.m.
Shesamysterytome is a
3-year-old daughter of Mystery Chase who carries the banner of Ashley Sluggett
and Trevor Williams and is trained and driven by Ryan Grundy. She has prevailed
in three of her four starts at this session since coming in from Canada.
After capturing a pair of
conditioned events in her first two outings at this meet, she finished second
behind Capitol Hill in her next try. Suiting up from the rail in last week’s
top clash for this group, Shesamystertome made what proved to be the winning
brush to the lead past the quarter and went on to a length and a quarter score
while rewarding her backers to the tune of $20.40.
Capitol Hill had to settle
for a fourth as the mild favorite in that affair, but has several Open scores
at this stand. George McChrystal and Kathie Plested own, Plested trains and
Steve Wiseman will once again be at the controls.
Sparkin Your Fire accounted
for back-to-back top dances earlier this month and figures right in the thick
of things. Gerry Longo trains for Peg Hoffman with Mooney Svendsen in the bike
and this mare set a lifetime mark of 1:54 with her December 1 decision here.
Rounding out the field are
Smash, Windsong Lindsey, Delightfully Wild, Rush And A Brush and If You Say So.
***
There are two wagers that are
offered here each night that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate. They
are the 50-cent Pick 5, which is decided on the first five races on the
evening; and the 20-cent Pick 4, on the penultimate four races. The Pick 4
comes with a guaranteed gross pool of $30,000.
