By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Among the warriors suiting up
here Friday evening are the 9-year-old pacer I’m An Athlete, who competes in
the ninth race; and the 12-year-old trotting stalwart Franks Best, who will
doing his thing in the featured second event on the card.
I’m An Athlete is a son of
Art Major who goes about his business for Ronald Rettig-Zucchi and takes his
lessons from Jessie Pacheco. He recently went over the $200,000 earnings
plateau with a 1:51 career standard that was established last season.
Off the class drop in last
week’s start, the hard-hitting pacer was hammed down to 30 cents on the dollar
and did not disappoint his many backers, making every pole a winning one with
James Kennedy at the helm.
“He’s just so-so on the smaller
tracks around the tight turns, but he really likes it here at Cal Expo,”
Pacheco noted. “He’s just a pro. You can jog him with two fingers and he
doesn’t need hopples to train.”
Franks Best is also a real
pro, slowly but surely closing in on a $300,000 bank account for his
owner/trainer/breeder Bob Johnson.
“There’s no question, he’s
one of my all-time favorites,” related Johnson. “He just loves to go out there
and race.” For the record, Franks Best will be making his 261st trip
to the post and has recorded 48 wins, 47 seconds and 37 thirds, with his 1:55
4/5 mark coming three years ago.
Good luck to both these
veteran performers as they look to close out the final month of the current
meeting in style.
One Chief eyes encore
in featured Trot
One Chief, fresh from
back-to-back solid efforts, looks to be the one to beat in Friday night’s
featured $5,500 Trot at Cal Expo.
Watch and Wager LLC will
present an 11-race card with the action set to get underway at 6:10 p.m. The
main event will go as the second event of the evening.
One Chief is a 6-year-old son
of Lucky Chucky out of the Credit Winner mare Chippewa who competes for Don and
Barbara Arnstine, Steve Chamber and Tyler Wiseman with Kathie Plested training
and Luke Plano back at the controls.
Sent off the even-money
choice in last week’s assignment, One Chief was unhurried early before coming
first over at the half to engage the leader. He opened a clear advantage once
straightened for home and went on to a three and three-quarter length score for
his first snapshot of the season.
Franks Best was up for the
exacta completion in that affair and always has to be respected for the team of
owner/trainer/breeder Bob Johnson and regular pilot Mooney Svendsen.
The 12-year-old son of Armbro
Scribe comes into Friday night’s assignment with $283,000 in his account and a
1:55 4/5 mark that was established three years ago. He is looking for his
second win from 12 appearances on the season.
Completing the field are
Majestic Lady Jo, who leaves from the rail with Nate Sobey; Dougs Hobby Horse,
who will have James Kennedy at the controls; and Windun Galaxe, departing from
the outside slot with Chip Lacey in the sulky.
