By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Nutmegs Desire, who will suit
up in Saturday night’s ninth race, recently recorded a milestone 50th
victory here and after some farewell starts will begin a new career next year
as a broodmare.
A soon-to-be 11-year-old
daughter of Real Desire, Nutmegs Desire is owned by the partnership of Don and
Barbara Arnstine, Steve Chambers and Tyler Wiseman with Kathie Plested training
and Steve Wiseman in the sulky.
She comes into this
assignment with 231 starts on her resume, with 50 wins, 42 seconds and 29
thirds and $233,000 in her bank account. She sports a 1:53 1/5 lifetime mark
that was established five years ago at Pocono Downs.
Nutmegs Desire reached the
half a century win mark here on December 8, going right to the front and then
coming out of the fog to get the job done by a length and a half. She came back
in her last start to miss score No. 51 by just a head.
Following that victory three
weeks ago, members of the Cal Expo racing office were treated to a cake
courtesy of the pacing mare and Barbara Arnstine.
“Nutmegs Desire is a
horseman’s horse,” a proud Barbara related when asked about the bay 10-year-old
mare. “She’s honest and consistent in effort, she’s a pleasure to have in the
barn as long as you keep those carrots coming, and she helps keep the
youngsters in line.”
Arnstine explained that some
chronic injuries slowed her East Coast campaign and former California
owner/trainer Gilbert Herrera sent her to Plested and Wiseman to finish up her
career.
“In one of her last races at
Running Aces this summer, as she was charging down the stretch to her 49th
win, someone yelled out ‘Go on Grandma, you can do it’!
“No one told ‘Grandma’ this
was a finish,” Barbara said. “Steve will tell you that when he tries to pull
her up after a race. If you aren’t flying back to the winner’s circle, then
she’s ready to go around again. Once you put that yellow hood on, she’s ready
to work.”
In a few months, Nutmegs
Desire will go from being a veteran racemare to a young broodmare.
“When the snows melt in
Canada in early March, she’ll be on her way to having those babies that we will
look forward to seeing,” Arnstine noted.
“Meanwhile, that yellow hood
will keep pushing to the front, trying to win and prove a credit to the breed.”
Bill Conlin Pace shares
spotlight with Opens
Urgointohearmeroar and
Lickcreek Speedway, who put on quite a show two weeks ago, get another chance
to settle the score in Saturday night’s featured $8,400 Bill Conlin Pace.
Watch and Wager LLC will
present an excellent 12-race card that gets underway at 6:10 p.m. In addition
to the Conlin, there is a $7,000 Open Pace that finds I’m An Athlete seeking an
encore and a $6,500 Filly and Mare Open Pace headed by the razor-sharp Capitol
Hill.
Urgointohermeroar and
Lickcreek Speedway finished one-two in the December 14 Conlin Prep, with
Urgoinhearmeroar getting up by a head over the latter after that rival had
opened a clear lead at midstretch.
Urgointohearmeroar is a
3-year-old son of Mystery Chase who is owned by Mark Anderson, hails from the
Gordie Graham barn and will once again have Mooney Svendsen giving directions.
He has accounted for three of
his four appearances at this meet, lowering his lifetime standard to 1:54 flat
in his most recent outing. Sent off the 8-5 choice in that contest, he stalked
to the lane and proved best at the line.
Lickcreek Speedway has a win
and two near-misses from her five trips to the post at this stand, with her
victory coming in the Annette Funicello Prep on December 7. She set her mark of
1:56 1/5 this year at Hooser Park and goes about her business for owner
Jennifer Scarberry and driver/trainer James Kennedy.
Completing the field are Hay
Hay Alright for Ryan Grundy; Just B Talking, Gerry Longo; Oh My Josh with Steve
Wiseman; and Dancer’s Fancy, who has Dean Magee at the controls.
