By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Chip Lackey worked out a perfect trip with his trainee Silverhill Volo in last weekend’s Jim Grundy Final, getting up by a head over favored Silverlode in the fixture.
The trotter is co-owned by Lackey and Roland Dekeyser Jr. and was recording his biggest victory since joining the barn back in November of 2016.
Silverhill Volo came into the Grundy final off back-to-back tough beats, finishing
second in the Prep after carving out all the fractions and then dropping a nose decision to division leader Pridecrest in the Open Trot one start back.
“Roland likes trotters and we got this one from Joe Anderson,” Chip related. “He always tries hard, but up until recently, he could be a little silly. He’s learned to sit in a hole now and I was also able to work out some shoeing issues with some very useful help.”
Chip mentioned that a lot of credit for Silverhill Volo’s success goes to Fern Wald, who has a very special bond with the trotter. “I honestly think he digs a little deeper because of her,” he said.
Lackey admits he wasn’t happy when the post positions came out for the Final and he was in the No. 6 slot, while main rival Silverlode was a cozy draw in the No. 2 post.
“We got lucky and were able to get a good trip, and then he came the fastest final quarter of his life to get up.”
What made the win extra special was it being named for longtime California driver/trainer Jim Grundy, against whom Chip competed for many years and had the utmost respect.
“It was a big thrill to win a race named for Jim Grundy, because he was the best horseman I’ve ever known, in every sense of the word.”
Allymx’sliventexas,
Gorgeous For Real battle
A solid $4,400 Open III Pace
gets the marquee treatment Friday night, with Allmyx’sliventexas and Gorgeous
For Real among the major players.
The feature will be decided
as the fourth race on an 11-race card under the banner of Watch and Wager LLC
with a first post of 6:10 p.m.
Allymx’sliventexas and
Gorgeous For Real are one of five members of the his cast who chased home
favored I’m An Athlete in last week’s Open Pace, checking in second and fifth,
respectively, in that contest.
Allymx’sliventexas is a
5-year-old homebred son of Hi Ho Silverheel’s who races for Wayne and Rod
Knittel with Bob Johnson the conditioner and Mooney Svendsen handling the
lines.
Two starts back with Nick
Roland at the helm, the Knittel charge was a dominating winner of a conditioned
event, and then last week he turned in a solid effort to complete the exacta
behind I’m An Athlete in a 1:52 4/5 tour.
Gorgeous Fore Real has a pair
of Open victories to his credit at this meet and found himself with too much
work to do from last place in that mile and had to settle for a minor check. He
is owned by Schwartz, Wilkinson, Axelrod and O’Neill with Junior Wilkinson
training and William Hernandez in the sulky.
Rounding out the field, from
the rail out: Pancetta with Luke Plano; Julerica, Richard Remillard; One And
Only, to be guided by Ryan Grundy; Almost Cut My Hair, also with Svendsen
named; and Ragin’s Flight, who will have the services of Steve Wiseman.
