By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
With no winning tickets last
Saturday night, there will be a carryover of $6,146 in Friday night’s 20-cent
Hi-Five with a $20,000-guaranteed gross pool.
In addition, a reminder that
both the 20-cent Pick 4 and 20-cent Pick 5 come with a reduced 16 percent
takeout rate each night. On Saturdays there is a $30,000-guaranteed gross pool,
with a $40,000 guarantee on Fridays.
There are 12 races on tap
Friday night under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 6:10
p.m. The main event is the $8,100 Open Trot headed by Mandeville and Its a
Horse.
Mandeville is an 8-year-old
son of Majestic Son who is owned, trained and driven by Gerry Longo. He comes
into this assignment with 23 wins from his 120 lifetime appearances with
$219,000 in the bank and a 1:54 2/5 standard.
After encountering tough
journeys in his previous three outings, including the Joe Lighthill Trot,
Mandeville had smoother sailing in the most recent mile and one-half clash at
the top rung as he prevailed by a length over favored Its A Horse, who was
doing his work from the demanding No. 10 slot.
Its A Horse is having an
outstanding meet for owner Ray Alan Miller, trainer Marco Rios and pilot Dean
Magee. He recorded a three-bagger between November 23 and December 13,
including a convincing victory in the Lighthill and is always reliable for a
strong finish.
Horsemen remember
Shelly Goudreau
Saturday evening’s Shelly
Goudreau Pace is named for one of the most talented drivers to ever ply the
trade. He passed away in a racing accident at Hollywood Park in 1982 at the age
of 34.
Steve Desomer drove with
Goudreau during the six years that he raced in California and was competing
with him in that fateful race at Hollywood Park. “I had the utmost respect for
Shelly as both a great driver and a kind and personable man,” Desomer said.
“His brilliant career was cut way too short.”
Trainer George Reider will
send out likely favorite Bunkerhill Bill in Saturday’s headliner and recalls
being impressed with Shelly Goudreau. “I was just a groom back then, but Shelly
was a true gentleman and treated me as an equal.
“He drove one horse I was
taking care of by the name of Dalmead who was trained by Chip Lackey, and he
beat the best horses on the grounds by open lengths.”
George also has another story
to tell that still brings tears to his eyes all these years later.
“The night before that
terrible race, I had a horse racing named Kiwi Jane and I borrowed a piece of
equipment from Joe Anderson called a jawbreaker, which goes through the bridle
to help control the horse.
“After the race, I gave it
back to Joe. It turns out (trainer) Frank Ferrante borrowed the same bit the next
night and used it for Reagan’s Lad, which is the horse Shelly was driving. It
broke and he fell off the back of the cart. It was so sad for everybody.”
