By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Allmyxsliventexas, who made
his seasonal debut last week, could hold the aces this time around in a strong
renewal of the $10,000 Lloyd Arnold Pace that headlines Saturday night’s Cal
Expo card.
Watch and Wager LLC will
present 10 races with things getting underway at 6:10 p.m. and the main event
is scheduled as the seventh event on the program.
Allmyx’slivntexas was making
his first start of the year as the 4-5 favorite in last week’s Open and found
himself with too much work to do in the stretch from last, settling for the
fourth-place check.
He closed out 2018 with four
straight victories, including the Dave Goldschmidt, and competes for his
owner/breeder Wayne and Rod Knittel with Bob Johnson training and Mooney
Svendsen at the controls. He was a 1:50 victor at Hoosier Park last season.
Coz and Effect was runner-up
in last week’s open at 25-1 after capturing a conditioned contest in his
previous tour. James Kennedy reins and trains the son of Mystery Chase for Jose
Castillo and he was a 1:54 winner here earlier in the season.
Bettor In The Bank has
accounted for seven of his 13 appearances on the year and the long-fused
9-year-old has to be given plenty of respect. Chip Lackey handles the dark-hued
performer for owner Debra McCarthy and conditioner Gordie Graham.
Rounding out the field are
I’m An Athlete, King Of The Crop, To The Limit, Bettor’s Promise and Gorgeous
For Real.
Kennedy has sights on
driving title
We don’t want to jinx James
Kennedy, but he comes into these last two weeks of the Cal Expo meet leading
the driver standings while holding a seven-length advantage.
While James has done well
with the two pacers in his shedrow – the mare Lickcreek Speedway and this
week’s Lloyd Arnold participant Coz and Effect – he has recorded the majority
of his victories as a catch driver.
“It’s been a fantastic meet,”
Kennedy related. “I really want to thank all the drivers and trainers who have
given me some great opportunities.
“Coming into the meet, I was
pretty confident I would be in the top five, but I never really saw being the
leading driver,” he noted. “It’s really been awesome.”
One of the highlights of the
session for Kennedy has been handling the 9-year-old pacer Bettor In The Bank
for Gordie Graham, recording seven Open victories behind the hard-knocking
veteran.
“He’s been spectacular,” his
pilot related. “He always gives you everything he has and there’s that big
punch in the stretch you can always count on.”
Because they are both suiting
up in the aforementioned Arnold on Saturday evening, for the second straight
week James will be racing against Bettor In The Bank with his trainee Coz and
Effect. “His last two races have been super,” his mentor added, hoping for an
upset this weekend.
