For Opinion, click here for View from the Racetrack Grandstand

Thursday, February 22, 2018

It’s go time for Prideofthesierras


By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness

George Reider appears to have a nice prospect for the upcoming California Sire Stakes in the 3-year-old gelding Prideofthesierras, who put it all together last weekend in his fourth start with Steve Wiseman in the sulky.

A son of Little Steven out of the Personal Power mare Brooklets Kia, Prideofthesierras was bred by Rick and Marlene Thomas and they co-own along with Reider and Dave and Rob Haness.

George had tipped in a column back in December that he felt this was a promising youngster, and nothing this pacer has done in the interim has made him change his opinion.

“He’s the second offspring from the mare, who also had Feeling Fancy Free, and it really is two different tales,” Reider noted. “She is very small and very high strung, but he’s big and strong with a very nice demeanor. He trained down so nice we’ve had high hopes all along.”

Now it’s time for Prideofthesierras to get serious, as the first round of Sire Stakes action for the class of 2015 is upon us.

“We’ve got 12 weeks for the six stakes races, and I’m very excited for the connections,” George said. “As far as plans for the summer go, we’ll see how he progresses toward the end of the meet and go from there.”

As usual, Reider is quick to point out that a trainer is only as good as his help, with Juan and Chicky being singled out for their excellent work behind the scenes.  

Pacing fillies and mares command the spotlight

An excellent $6,600 Distaff Open Pace serves as the main event at Cal Expo Saturday night with a very contentious cast of nine set to face the starter.

There are 11 races on tap and the Watch and Wager LLC card gets under way at 6:10 p.m. The headliner will be the eighth event of the evening.

Last week’s Filly and Mare Open turned out to be a thriller, with Delightfully Wild getting home by a nose over Blue Note, with that pair a length and three-quarters ahead of Shesamysterytome at the wire.

Delightfully Wild is a 5-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight who races for Richard Morita and David Yamada, is conditioned by Lino Pacheco and will have James Kennedy back at the controls while leaving from the No. 7 slot.

In last week’s clash, the bay miss relaxed early, came first over at the half, continued on gamely in the lane and wore down pace-setting Blue Note by a nose in a 1:54 4/5 tour. It was her third win from seven starts on the year.

Blue Note is going in razor-sharp form for owner/trainer Rick Cisco and will have the services of Luke Plano. She has won three of her last seven starts, including a victory in the Alan Kirschenbaum Final on February 2. She has been runner-up in the other four efforts, including that narrow setback at most recent asking.

Completing the field are Capitol Hill, Shark Festival, Poorlittlerichgirl, Sparkin Your Fire, Getter Queen Flush, Shesamysterytome and Melodies That Rock.