By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Before this meet, Rene Goulet
had not competed here at Cal Expo in 18 years, but he’s happy to be back and
enjoying the warmer temperatures.
“The people here are nice and
friendly and it’s been fun catching up with everybody,” said Goulet, who has
brought eight performers down from Canada along with his partner Glenda Smith.
“It’s also nice to get away
from that cold and snow.”
Including in the group that
came down with Goulet is the 3-year-old pacing filly Cenalta Call Girl, who has
provided him with his first two victories at this stand, including a tally as
the odds-on choice in last week’s Annette Funicello Pace.
Rene was pretty much born
into the sport, learning about harness racing from the ground up from his
father Art and uncle Al Goertzen. “I pretty much knew by the time I was 10 this
is what I wanted to do,” related the 50-year-old native Manitoba.
Goulet cut his teeth on
half-mile tracks, but has also done his share of driving on five-eighths and
mile ovals in the Great White North. “I actually prefer a mile track like the
one here at Cal Expo, because I like to let my horses sit and finish.”
When asked about his favorite
horse, Rene is quick to point at KG Explorer, who is among the performers who
have shipped down for this invasion. “He’s 13 now and I’ve had him since I
bought him for $1,500 as a 3-year-old.”
Pridecrest, Capitol
Hill command the spotlight
An Open Trot headed by the
streaking Pridecrest; a filly and mare Open Pace featuring Capitol Hill and the
Bill Conlin Prep headline the Saturday night action at Cal Expo.
First post for the 12- race
Watch and Wager LLC program is 6:10 p.m. The Open Trot goes as the fourth
event, while the Conlin Prep is the sixth race and the distaff Open is
scheduled as the eighth contest on the card.
A 5-year-old son of Angus
Hall from the Wesgate Crown mare Spilled Milk, Pridecrest races for Mark
Hinshaw with Luke Plano doing the driving and training. He comes into this
assignment with $177,000 in his lifetime account and will do his work from the
assigned No. 10 post this weekend.
The dark-hued performer made
his California debut on November 3 and made every pole a winning one that
evening for Plano crossing the wire with nearly 10 lengths on his nearest rival
while establishing a new track record with the 1:53 2/5 final clocking.
Suiting up the next week from
the outside post in a field of nine, Pridecrest once again put on a
tour-de-force mile as he stalked early, took over turning for home and drew off
by six and a quarter lengths to prove a punctual 2-5 favorite.
Taking him on are Becky
Badger Baby for Nick Roland; Agrestores Comet, James Kennedy; One Chief, to be
guided by Steve Wiseman; Talkin Tootsie, Mooney Svendsen; and Itzaziam, who
leaves from the rail with Sean Smithpeters at the controls.
Looking at the co-feature,
Capitol Hill is a 6-year-old daughter of Badlands Hanover who has fired
big-time in all four starts at the meet and has come away with a pair of
victories, including last week’s distaff Open in a very game first-over
performance with Steve Wiseman. George McChrystal and Kathie Plested own with
Plested the conditioner.
