By Mark Ratzky, publicity –
Cal Expo Harness
Scary Harry, who has posted
four straight impressive victories at this meet, looks to keep the momentum
going as he leads the cast for Saturday night’s featured $20,000 Alan Horowitz
Memorial Pace.
A 12-race card will be
presented by Watch and Wager LLC with things getting underway at 6:10. The card
also features a $7,000 Open Pace and a $7,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.
A 6-year-old son of
Sportswriter, Scary Harry is owned by Kenneth Seastrom and Chip Lackey doing
the driving and training.The bay performer was winless in 27 starts on the year
when he arrived here in November, but has been on a tear ever since and has not
come to closing in his four trips to the post.
Despite having the demanding
No. 9 slot in a division of last week’s Horowitz Eliminations, Scary Harry was
sent off the 3-5 choice and made it look like a gift. Parked to the lead at the
half, he took complete control from that point and waltzed home with six and
three-quarter lengths to spare in a 1:54 4/5 mile.
Brighten Your Life captured
the other elimination heat last weekend at 6-1 for owner/trainer/driver Nathan
Sobey. This Shark Gesture mare was a game first-over winner and is eyeing her
third straight trip to the winner’s circle.
Completing the field are
Mighty Fine Hi Ho, Magnifique, Art Genta, Cowboys Dirtyboots, Mint To Cruise,
Smilys Amira, Fly Away and Smoke Rings.
***
There will be no live racing
here next week, with the trotters and pacers returning to action on Friday,
December 28. There will be mandatory payoffs on all wagers Saturday night.
Race honors memory of
Alan Horowitz
Saturday night's Alan Horowitz Memorial is named for a major force
in California harness racing over the last several decades and a member of the
California Harness Horsemen's Association (CHHA) Hall of Fame who passed away
last year at age 72.
Mr. Horowitz, who wore many hats in the business, started out as a
partner with longtime friends Donald and Barbara Arnstine and Steve Desomer
with a $25,000 claimer named Quaker Byrd. Quaker Byrd won his first race for
the partners and Alan was hooked. Moving on, Alan would eventually become a
board member and president of CHHA.
In 1994, Mr. Horowitz was instrumental in bringing harness racing
back to Cal Expo in the form of Capitol Racing and was also its successful
general manager. He was serving as the Executive Secretary of the CHHA at the
time of his retirement in 2013 and continued to stay in touch with the sport
that he loved so much.
"It is impossible to overstate Alan's importance to the
harness racing industry in California," said David Neumeister.
"Simply put, if it were not for Alan, the sport would no longer exist in
this state.
"Between his time as executive director of Western
Standardbred Association (now CHHA) and owner/ manager of our only yearling
sale company when racing was flourishing in California, and his decision to
retire from CHHA a few years ago, against all odds and some very powerful
adversaries,
“Alan almost single-handedly took us from the brink of extinction
in the mid-90s and formed and led Capitol Racing in Sacramento to several very
successful years of harness racing in that city.
"Were it not for his quiet determination and tactical
brilliance, we would not be racing here today.”
