By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo
Harness
She may be small, but Incredible
Gambler packs a big kick in the stretch and has now posed for pictures
following four of her last five trips to the post here at Cal Expo.
The 8-year-old New Jersey-bred
daughter of Allamerican Ingot who currently goes about her business for owner
Clint Lugar and trainer Salvador Wenceslao, with Dave Siegel having guided her
in three of those aforementioned four scores.
Siegel has a long history with
Incredible Gambler, having previously owned the mare, and they’ve developed a
great rapport over the years. “She’s one of my favorite horses to drive,”
Siegel noted. “I get along with her really well, and know her strengths and
weaknesses as well as any other horse I drive.
“She comes ready to race every
week and seems to really enjoy racing, though frankly she does not really like
racing in the slop. Since she is a strong closer, she really likes the
big track and the dirt surface suits her very well. She is small in
stature, which makes for great visibility, really handy and two fingers to
drive.”
The Lugar colorbearer, who sports
a 1:54 career standard, recently went over the $100,000 earnings plateau. “I
was very happy that she returned to Cal Expo after her eastern journey and that
Clint continues to give me the opportunity to drive her,” Siegel added.
Incredible Gambler is slated to
suit up in Friday evening’s ninth race with main man Siegel giving directions
from the No. 4 post. She figures to make her presence felt once again when push
comes to shove in the stretch.
A REMINDER THERE ARE THREE
WAGERS EACH NIGHT THAT OFFER A REDUCED 16 PERCENT TAKEOUT RATE. THEY ARE THE
50-CENT PICK 5; THE 20-CENT PICK 4 WITH A $20,000-GUARANTEED POOL ON FRIDAY AND
A $25,000 GUARANTEE ON SATURDAY; AND THE 10-CENT HI-FIVE ON THE NITECAP.
Sire Stakes, Distaff Open Pace on
tap
A
pair of $10,000 California Sire Stakes for 3-year-olds and a Distaff Open Pace
are on tap Friday night at Cal Expo, with J’s Littlerockstar and Placer heading
their respective stakes while Show Runner and Lady’s Art square off in the
co-feature. .
A 14-race
card is scheduled with first post set for 5:45 p.m. The Sire Stakes for the
pacing fillies goes as the fourth on the program, while the race for the
trotters is the sixth and the filly-mare Pace occupies the second spot on the
program.
J’s
Littlerockstar is a 3-year-old daughter of Little Steven out of the Pacific
Fella mare Sweet Sakra Sue who is owned, trained, driven and bred by James
Kennedy. After finishing second in her first two added-money outings this
season, she earned a trophy in the most recent clash two weeks ago.
Sent off as the 5-2 second choice in that affair, the
bay miss rallied with second-over cover and ignited at crunch time to prevail
by a length. She came her final quarter in :28 flat while stopping the timer in
1:58 that evening.
De
Valeria will attempt to make amends after finishing fourth that night after
being shuffled as the odds-on choice. The Eugene Afentoulis colorbearer
accounted for two of the previous three Sire Stakes for the division with
trainer Luke Plano at the controls.
Placer
is eyeing his four stakes score in the race for the sophomore trotters. The
homebred son of Panama Hanover races for the Desomer Stables Inc. with Steve
Desomer handling the lines.
In
the last stakes gathering on March 14, Placer was parked to the lead at the
half, took complete control of things from that point and came to the wire with
two and three-quarter lengths to spare in a lifetime-best 2:00 1/5 clocking.
