By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
The $6,600 Glen Holt Memorial
Pace featuring I’m An Athlete occupies the feature-race slot on Saturday
night’s 11-race program at Cal Expo.
First post is 6:10 p.m. and
the card will also include a $5,500 Open Trot headed by the streaking
Pridecrest and a pair of California Sire Stakes that will go as non-betting
events prior to the regular program.
The Glen Holt Memorial is
named for the respected horseman who passed away in February at the age of 87.
Glen had a love of horses
from the time he was a child. On his days off from the Shafter Police
Department he would go to the two local racing stables, one being owned by Bill
Lachenmeier and the other by Joe O’Brien.
He assisted with jogging the
horses, helping around the stables and asking a lot of questions in an effort
to learn the business. Lachenmeier eventually gave him a broodmare and Glen’s
career as a sergeant with the Police Department ended and his career in the
harness racing industry began.
He started the Diamond HR
Ranch, a boarding, breeding and training farm. After a few years, a swimming
pool for conditioning horses was added to the farm, the first to be built in
California.
Diamonte King was Glen’s
first two-minute horse. He was followed by such top performers as Regret Me
Not, David’s Marenga and Something Sexy. Shafter Queen, a broodmare at Diamond
HR, received numerous awards as Broodmare of the Year.
Glen’s career in the sport
spanned 50 years and one of the highlights was being the leading driver at the
1971 Cal Expo meeting. He was well respected and shared friendships with many
owners, trainers, grooms and racing officials throughout the circuit.
Said son Mike Holt, “Dad
loved the horse racing business and could spend hours telling countless stories
about his experiences and friendships.”
In addition to Mike, Glen
Holt is survived by his daughters Debbie and Sharla and son Philip, nine
grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Glen had a high-profile
marriage for 25 years with actress Annette Funicello. They met through their
mutual love of horses and were often seen at the harness races in the 1980s and
1990s.
Annette passed away in 2012
after a lengthy and well-documented battle with Muscular Sclerosis. What Glen
and Annette learned during this time ultimately led them to establish The
Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases in 1993.
Charlotte’s Web embarks
on new journey
Charlotte’s Web, who has
distinguished herself both on and off the racetrack, is entering a new phase in
her career.
Steve and Vickie Desomer have
announced that the mare has been placed with Nick Roland and Set The Pace
Racing and will be headed East to be bred to Roland’s stallion Tamarind.
Charlotte’s Web was foaled on
the Desomer farm in 2002, out of the multiple stakes producing mare One to
Top and by the multiple stakes producing stallion Website. She went on the
become the 2-year-old divisional champion but was retired in the midst of her
3-year old campaign, going on to become a multiple stakes-producing broodmare
herself.
“Charlotte has made us proud time and time again,” said Vickie.
“She’s produced divisional leaders Silverlode, Placer and Cadet, and she
continues her production with Kissed the Boys, Minnesota eligible Pay Dirt,and
Minnesota eligible yearling Shudabinaclaudius. “Steve and I wish Nick and
Jessica all the best with this fine mare.”
Robin Clements has been with
Charlotte’s Web throughout her career and is high in her praise for the mare.
“I took care of Charlotte when she raced at 2 and 3 and have taken care of her
since she became a broodmare. She is one of my favorites as she has that
laid back personality and was so easy to get in foal.”
***
Cal Expo has announced that
the guaranteed gross pool for the 20-cent Pick 4 on Saturdays has now been
raised to $50,000, with the guaranteed pool for Friday’s Pick 4 remaining at
$30,000.
The Pick 4 is one of two
wagers each night at Cal Expo with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate, the other
being the 50-cent Pick 5, which is offered on the first five races of each
program.
