By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Braxten Boyd is one of the
new names on the Cal Expo program, as the 19-year-old Michigan native is
getting his first taste of California racing.
“I grew up around the horses
on my father’s farm, and I knew I wanted to be in racing from about the time I
was in Kindergarten,” Braxten related.
Boyd recorded his first
victory as a 17-year-old on the Michigan fairs, with his initial pari-mutuel
score coming this past summer at Running Aces behind his father Brett’s top
performer Bestinthebusiness
After getting his initial
racing education from his dad, Braxten apprenticed under Gene Miller in
Minnesota. Ed and Willie Hernandez were two of the most encouraging people when
it came to his decision to give California a try.
“They said this track was a
great place to learn,” Braxten related. “On a mile track, you have the chance
to wait for the last quarter, which isn’t usually the case on a half-mile or
five-eighths track.”
Boyd is currently working
here with the Nick Roland shedrow and looking to pick up as many catch drives
as he can. So far he’s made a half-dozen trips to the Cal Expo winner’s circle
and is looking forward to more.
There are two wagers offered here each night with a reduced 16
percent takeout rate – the 20-cent Pick 5 and the 20-cent Pick 4. The Pick 4
comes with a $30,000 guaranteed gross pool on Fridays and a $40,000 guarantee
on Saturdays.
Open Pace brings out contentious cast
The last four clashes at the
head of the pacing class have seen four different winners, with last week’s
upsetter Almost Cut My Hair looking to do an encore in Saturday’s $7,200 Open
Pace.
The headliner goes as the
fourth event on a 12-race card that is presented under the banner of Watch and
Wager LLC and things get underway at 6:10 p.m.
Almost Cut My Hair is a
6-year-old son of Barber Pole who is owned by Hank Wieseneck, Martin Garey and
Bob Johnson with Johnson the conditioner and Chip Lackey back at the controls.
He rattled off a hat trick
versus softer company in November, had to settle for minor awards in the next
two appearances, then pulled off the 33-1 surprise in last week’s top dance for
the pacing set.
Leaving from the cozy rail in
that large cast, Almost Cut My Hair tracked to the lane, then ignited when the
question was asked by Lackey to be up by a neck over fellow longshot Senga
Nitro.
With Senga Nitro going off at
42-1 and 16-1 Marced Magic rounding out the Trifecta, it returned a whopping
$1,669 for each correct 20-cent ticket.
Senga Nitro and Marced Magic
will once again be in the line-up along with Buzz Light, Timetoplaythegame and
To The Limit, while Allmyx’liventexas has the outside post as that classy
performer looks to get back on the winning track.
