By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
It was apparently worth the
wait with the 4-year-old pacer This Dog Wont Hunt, who made his belated debut
last weekend and came from out of the clouds to win going away as the
even-money choice.
A 4-year-old son of Voracious
Hanover who is owned by Mark Anderson and hails from the Gordie Graham barn,
This Dog Wont Hunt was some double digits off the early pace for James Kennedy,
then circled rivals with a rush turning for home to post the two and a
quarter-length decision to the delight of the chalkplayers.
The dark-hued performer
showed signs of having ability here last spring, turning in a pair of sharp
qualifiers with Kennedy at the controls, then was scratched from a race in late
May at Running Aces and didn’t surface again officially until a February 1
qualifier here that he won going away without urging.
After being scratched from a
February 9 race here, he finally got to the races last Saturday night and did
not disappoint his many backers with the impressive come-from-behind score that
saw him hit the wire in 1:57 3/5.
This Dog Wont Hunt was
scheduled to make his second trip to the post on Friday night, and it will be
interesting to see just how much impact this pacer came make as he attempts to
climb up the ladder
(use as a reverse box with no
headline)
A reminder there are two
wagers offered here each night that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate
– the 50-cent Pick 5 on the first five events and the 20-cent Pick 4.
The Pick 4 comes attached
with a $30,000-guaranteed gross pool on Fridays and a $40,000 guarantee on
Sundays.
Plano pair loom large
in featured Pace
The Luke Plano-trained duo of
Magnifique and Legio X Equestris should have a big say in Saturday night’s main
event, a $6,000 Open II contest for pacing fillies and mares.
The headliner will go as the
10th contest on an 11-race program under the Watch and Wager LLC
banner and things will get underway at 6:10 p.m.
Plano will be guiding
Magnifique, who is owned by Nikki Hudson and will leave from the outside post
in the field of seven, while Legio X Equestris is campaigned by David Shell and
will have the services of Ryan Grundy from the No. 2 slot.
Magnifique is an 8-year-old
daughter of Tell All who is coming off a runner-up effort behind favored Bettor
Lady under these same conditions last week after making a strong move by the
quarter and showing the way to deep stretch.
She recorded her most recent
victory in a conditioned affair on March 1, riding live to cover to a three and
a quarter-length tally, and has come back with a third-place finish behind
Capitol Hill in the March 9 Open and last week’s exacta completion.
Legio X Equestris is a
5-year-old Roll With Joe mare who is coming off an eye-catching 1:53 3/5 score
last week and looks ready to climb right back up the class ladder. She was a
1:52 victress at Pocono last season.
Rounding out the field are
Delightfully Wild from the Lino Pacheco barn; the Kathie Plested-trained pair
of Totally Racy and Outragesoudelightn; Along Came Jane from the Jessie Pacheco
shedrow; and the Gerry Longo reined-and-trained Rush And A Brush.
