By Mark Ratzky, publicity –
Cal Expo Harness
Luke Plano relates that the
pacing mare Magnifique, who proved clearly best in last week’s Distaff Open II
event, has been a pleasant surprise at this meet.
The now 8-year-old daughter
of Tell All carries the banner of Nikki Hudson with Luke reining and training
and has turned in a series of solid efforts at this meeting, including a close
third in the Alan Horowitz Memorial two weeks ago.
“I’ve had her since
September,” Plano explained. “Nick Roland claimed her at Running Aces for
$6,000 toward the end of the meet and then I took her over.
“We thought she would do well
here with her conditions, and she’s exceeded what we hoped for to this point.”
Magnifique proved a liking
for an off track when she prevailed in a conditioned contest on opening week,
then went a powerful mile two back when missing by only a half-length to
heavily-favored Scary Harry in the aforementioned Horowitz.
In her most recent
appearance, she looked every part the even-money favorite as she brushed to the
lead at the half and took complete control of the race from there, coming to
the wire with a two and a half-length advantage.
“She can a little quirky when
she jogs, but when it’s time to race she’s all business out there and has a
touch of class,” her mentor added. “Now she’ll have to step back up to the
Open, so we’ll see how that goes.”
Opens bring out quality
trotters, pacers
A $7,000 Open Pace headed by
Icy Blue Scooter, Gorgeous For Real and I’m An Athlete and a $7,000 Open Trot
that finds Silverhill Volo in the spotlight are the main attractions on Friday
night’s Cal Expo program.
Watch and Wager LLC will
present 12 races with first post set for 6:10 p.m.
Icy Blue Scooter is coming
off a dominating front-end victory in last week’s Open Pace for driver/trainer
Nathan Sobey, who also co-owns the 6-year-old son of Blue Burner with Diane
Bertrand and Robert Gilhespy.
He was runner-up in his first
two outings here after coming in from Canada, including a nose setback on
November 14, then got his revenge in the most recent clash at the top rung with
his two-length score in a lifetime-best 1:52 1/5 clocking.
Gorgeous For Real completed
the exacta in that contest while going off the mild 5-2 favorite He was a 1:51
victor at Hoosier Park last summer and goes about his business for the
partnership of Schwartz, Wilkinson, Axelrod and O’Neill with Junior Wilkinson the
conditioner and Dean Magee handling the lines.
I’m An Athlete accounted for
the December 14 Open when hanging that nose decision on Icy Blue Scooter and
was third in that last clash at the head of the class. The 9-year-old son of
Art Major is approaching the $200,000 earnings plateau for owner Ronald
Rettig-Zucchi, trainer Jessie Pacheco and pilot James Kennedy with a 1:51 mark
that was established over this track.
Completing the field are King
Of The Crop, Bettor’s Promise, Almost Cut My Hair, Jazzmanian Devil, Why Ask
Why and Prodigal.
