CORLEY AND CONLIN SERIES, SIRE STAKES,
KEVIN TISHER
MEMORIAL HEADLINE PROGRAM
By
Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
The second legs of
the Michael Corley and Bill Conlin Pacing series, the Kevin Tisher Memorial and
two $10,000 California Sire Stakes headline Saturday night’s Watch and Wager
LLC program at Cal Expo.
The Corley will be
decided as the third on a 15-race card and the Conlin is the eleventh contest
on the evening. The Kevin Tisher Memorial goes as the eighth race and the two
Sire Stakes are set as non-betting events prior to the regular program.
David Siegel was
able to work out a perfect two-hole journey with Whicadidja in the first leg of
the Conlin and parlayed that into a length and a half score at 22-1 in the 1:55
2/5 tour. Whicadidja is a 5-year-old Ohio-bred son of Panspacificflight who
hails from the Bernie Wolin barn and is co-owned by pilot Siegel, Bob Thronson
and Greg Robinson. He has had his picture taken twice from five appearances on
the year and figures to get a lot more respect at the windows this time around.
Frankly Scarlett
accounted for last week’s opening leg of the Corley as she ignited in when
clear to hang a neck decision on the pace-setting favorite Cache River. Frankly
Scarlett is a 9-year-old daughter of Little Steven who carries the banner of
Robert Bacon and is reined and trained by Steve Wiseman.
Looking at the Sire
Stakes for the 4-year-old males, That A Space is coming off an upset over Ra Ra
Steven in the most recent big-money clash for the pacing set, while El Azteca
gets top billing among the trotters after turning in some powerful efforts at
this meeting.
Kevin Tisher, who
passed away last month at the age of 77, is being honored with the eighth race
on Saturday. Tisher started his career with his father Clyde and was a longtime
owner, breeder and trainer on the California circuit.
He served on the
board of directors of the Western Standardbred Association and the California
Harness Drivers Guild and was vice president of the California Harness Horse
Breeders Association. Upon his retirement in 1990, Tisher started Hydro Horse
Company, which produces underwater treadmill systems in use at both equine
hospitals and training centers.
MOUSSELINE HANOVER LOOKS TO ASSERT HERSELF
If the second leg of
the Michael Corley Series is anything like last week’s opener, we’re in for
quite a race as the first four finishers were separated by a grand total of a
half-length. Mousseline Hanover was third in that blanket finisher for
owner/trainer Greg Watson and pilot Chip Lackey and is gunning for some revenge
on Saturday.
“She’s an honest
mare who gives you her best every time,” Lackey related when asked about the
9-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight. “She has some gate speed if you want
to use it, and if you can reserve her to the stretch, she’ll give you a nice
finish.”
Lackey left with
Mousseline Hanover from the outside slot last week, sat a tracking trip to the
stretch and came home in :27 and change to be right there. “I was very lucky to
be able to drop in on the first turn, otherwise I would have had to use her
pretty hard to make the lead,” Lackey noted. “This is pretty well-matched group
of mares and it should be interesting.”
Chip would love
nothing more than to take down the crown in the Corley Series with this gal for
Watson. “Greig is a very good trainer and even a better friend. When I was
hurt, he was there to help, and the same thing when I go on vacation. It’s
always extra nice to win for him.”
