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Thursday, December 6, 2018

Lickcreek Speedway, Kennedy proving formidable pair


                               
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness

Lickcreek Speedway has steadily picked up her game since arriving from Indiana and looms the one to beat in Friday night’s Annette Funicello – Glen Holt Pace for owner Jennifer Scarberry and driver/trainer James Kennedy.

The 3-year-old daughter of Sand Shooter had been racing at Hoosier Park with mixed results while leaving from some difficult posts, but seems to have found a nice home here at Cal Expo.

“I got her at the beginning of the meet from Jacob Fox,” Kennedy related when asked about the distaffer. “She’d been making breaks and he told me I had to be careful with her on the first turn.”

Lickcreek Speedway made a miscue in her first start here on opening night, but has been on her best behavior in the last two appearances, resulting a near-miss and then a solid score as the favorite in last week’s Funicello Prep.

“I made some adjustments after that first start here to her hobbles and her headgear and it’s been working,” James said. “I was real happy with the way she finished in her second start and it all came together last week.

“The plan was to let her settle in on the first turn and then make a move down the backside. She ended up getting parked first-over, but she was real strong and I never even had to pull the earplugs or really ask her for her best.”

Lickcreek Speedway is one of two performers Kennedy currently has under his care and he explains that’s pretty much the way he likes it. “Both horses are owned by friends, and right now I prefer to concentrate on the driving.”

Annette Funicello – Glen Holt Pace on tap

Lickcreek Speedway, a game first-over winner last week, heads the cast for Friday night’s featured $8,300 Annette Funicello – Glen Holt Pace for fillies and mares.

The main event on the 11-race Watch and Wager LLC program will go as eighth event of the evening with first post set for 6:15 p.m. There will also be an excellent supporting card with an Open Pace, a Distaff Open Pace and an Open Trot.

Lickcreek Speedway is a 3-year-old Indiana-bred daughter of Sand Shooter who is owned by Jennifer Scarberry and is reined-and-trained by James Kennedy. She has turned in two solid efforts at this meeting from coming in from her home state.

Making her California debut here on November 24, the bay miss came rolling late for Kennedy to miss by a nose, then got her revenge in last weekend’s Funicello Prep when she came first-over at the quarter and wore down pace-setting Dancer’s Fancy in the late stages for a length score.

The latter is a Fancy Schmansy mare who has also put in two very good miles at the session. She carries the banner of Vikki Pfeilsticker with Rick Bertrand training and Mooney Svendsen at the controls. She was a sharp winner in her first start and carved out the fractions last week before getting overpowered on the line.

Completing the field are Lookslikewemadeit, Nathan Sobey; Sing N Sandi, Dean Magee; That’s How It Goes, Richard Schneider; Rosebud’s First, Steve Wiseman; Dancer’s Fancy, Mooney Svendsen; Hot Dandy, Chip Lackey; and Glad to Meet Ya, Luke Plano.

The co-featured Open Pace will find Dave Goldschmidt Memorial winner Allymyx’sliventexas seeking his fourth straight win at the meet, while the Distaff Open finds barnmates Fancy Little Girl and Totally Racy in the spotlight with Dougs Hobby Horse and Silverhill Volo getting a rematch in the Open Trot.