By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Allmyx’sliventexas and Heza
Real Diamond, who have been putting on some great battles at the head of the
class, get another chance to settle the score in Friday night’s featured $6,700
Open Pace.
A 12-race card is on tap with
first post set for 6:10 p.m. The headliner goes as the fourth contest on the
evening with Allmyx’sliventexas leaving from the No. 9 slot and Heza Real
Diamond from the 10 post in the field of six.
Allmyx’sliventexas is a
7-year-old son of Hi Ho Silverheel’s who is owned and was bred by Wayne and Rod
Knittel, takes his lessons from Bob Johnson and once again has Mooney Svendsen
giving directions.
The hard-hitting bay
performer comes into this assignment with 36 wins from his 116 trips to the
post with over $210,000 in his bank account and a 1:50 flat career standard
that was established two years ago at Hoosier Park.
Allmyx’sliventexas has posed
for pictures following three of the last four top dances for the division,
including last week when he sat the pocket behind Heza Real Diamond and was up
by a nostril in a 1:50 2/5 tour.
Heza Real Diamond is having a
great meet with three snapshots from the last half-dozen starts for owner
Orlando Nevarez and trainer Edwin Quevedo and Nick Roland will have a return
assignment in the sulky.
The Nevarez colorbearer has
traded decisions with Allmyx’sliventexas in his last two starts, and on both
occasions the horse who sat the two-hole behind the pacesetter has surged to
get the victory in the final strides. Mr. Varsity, Part Time, King Of The Crop
and Fox Valley Hoss complete the field.
Key Word sparks low
takeout wager
There are two wagers here
offered each night that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate – the
20-cent Pick 5 and 20-cent Pick 4 – and taking a look at last Saturday’s Pick 5
is a good example of the value added.
Despite the sequence
featuring winners that were 6-5, 7-5 and a pair of 2-1 shots, you toss in an
11-1 shot to kick off the proceedings and there is a nice $134 payoff for each
correct 20-cent investment.
Key Word was the catalyst in
the evening’s opener for veteran owner/driver/trainer Gerry Longo, as the
9-year-old pacer did the perfect track-and-attack from a cozy rail draw to pick
up his first snapshot of the season.
In the night’s third race it
was Allmyx’sliventexas for the Knittel/Johnson/Svendsen team returning to his
winning ways in the Open Pace, hanging a nose decision on arch-rival Heza Real
Diamond after being collared by that rival in their previous meeting.
That was followed by another
dynamite performance by Alwaysalittle more in the Filly and Mare Open as this
gal seems to have really found her stride for owners Maria Alvarez and Terrence
Smith, trainer Edwin Hernandez and pilot Luke Plano.
The Pick 5 was rounded out by
Bunkerhill Bill’s virtual coast-to-coast tally in the Shelly Goudreau Final.
The 9-year-old Michigan-bred goes about his business for the Haness Family and
co-owner/trainer George Reider and has found a great partner in driver Dean
Magee.
By the way, the Pick 4 comes
with a $40,000-guaranteed gross pool on Saturdays and a $30,000 pool on
Fridays. Jump right in, the water’s fine.
