By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
It was beginning to look like
always the bridesmaid and never the bride for the 6-year-old pacing mare
Brighten Your Life, but Nate Sobey’s protégé remedied that in a big way in last
week’s Distaff Open with a smashing victory.
Sent off the 9-5 second
choice in that affair over a sloppy track, Sobey motored Brighten Your Life to
the lead at the half and she went on to a four and a half-length romp while
snapping a string of six straight runner-up efforts.
It certainly wasn’t for lack
of trying that Brighten Your Life had been just missing, including an amazing
mile on January 11 where an early miscue had her double digits behind the field
at the start to only lose by three quarters of a length that evening.
For the record, the last five
Filly and Mare Open Paces have seen five different winners, with Brighten Your
Life adding her name to the most recent renewal with that scintillating mile in
the rain.
Sobey claimed the mare back
in October at Northlands Park with her previous victory here coming in the Alan
Horowitz Eliminations back in December.
“I’d had my eye on her for
some time,” her mentor noted. “She was a real nice 2-year-old and I didn’t
think she was racing to her abilities. I’m very happy with the way she’s come
around.”
Sobey, who brought in a
string of 18 performers from Alberta and plans to stay until April, has made
quite an impression in his first California invasion with solid numbers in both
the driver and trainer standings.
Open Pace getting the
marquee treatment
The $6,500 Open Pace has top
billing Friday night at Cal Expo, and to give you an idea just how contentious
this highest level has been, the last four top dances for the division have
seen three different winners.
First post for the 11-race
card presented by Watch and Wager LLC is 6:10 p.m.
Icy Blue Scooter completed a
hat trick in the January 12 Open; King Of The Crop rattled off back-to-back
wins on January 26 and February 2, then last week saw Bettor In The Bank taking
bows after the get-together at the top rung.
A 9-year-old son of Bettor
Tuwin, Bettor In The Bank is owned by Debra McCarthy, hails from the Gordie
Graham barn and will have James Kennedy at the controls.
Bettor In The Bank has been
steadily climbing his way up the ladder, working out a perfect pocket journey
at most recent asking to get the job done over a sloppy track.
King Of The Crop looms large
and will be looking to make amends after checking in fourth last week as the
9-5 choice. He was very sharp winning his previous two outings for owners Don
and Barbara Arnstine, Steve Chambers and Kathie Plested with Plested the
conditioner and Steve Wiseman at the controls.
Icy Blue Scooter has gone
some huge miles at this meet for driver/trainer Nate Sobey, who co-owns the
6-year-old with Diane Bertrand and Robert Gilhespy. He was razor-sharp taking
down three straight Opens last month and was saddled with the demanding No. 10
post in his January 26 appearance. He will be dangerous no matter how things
shake out early.
Almost Cut My Hair (Mooney
Svendsen), Why Ask Why Ryan Grundy) and Mr Varsity (Luke Plano) complete the
field.
