Carryovers, reduced takeout wagers Spice Cal Expo opening-night action

 

By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness

Players will have something immediate to shoot at when Cal Expo kicks off their meeting Saturday, with a $9,819 carryover in the Hi Five and a $61,678 carryover in the Single 6.

Cal Expo has also added a third low-takeout wager to their menu from last season.

In addition to the reduced 16 percent takeout rates on the 20-cent Pick 4 and early 20-cent Pick 5, the 20-cent Late Pick 5 will now also feature that value 16 percent takeout rate.

The Pick 4 also comes with a $25,000-guaranteed gross pool.

James Kennedy will be back to defend his driving title from the previous stand, where he edged out Mooney Svendsen with 101 trips to the charmed enclosure, giving him a half-dozen more than veteran Svendsen.

Luke Plano has several driving titles to his credit and also figures to make his share of winner circle appearances this season.

 In the training ranks, the Kathie Plested barn ran away with the crown at the last meet with Gordie Graham, Bob Johnson and Leon Smith also getting plenty of snapshots.

 Curtain goes up on Cal Expo harness meet  

 The trotters and pacers return to Cal Expo Saturday night under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with a 12-race card that finds a pair of $5,000 Open III contests commanding the spotlight.

 Racing will be conducted on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the 44-day session and with the implementation of the 10 p.m. California curfew beginning Saturday, first post will now be 4:35 p.m. 

The Open III event for pacing fillies and mares looks like a good spot for the hard-knocking disaffer Delightfully Wild, who has gone a number of big races over this course in her career.

Delightfully Wild is a 7-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight who carries the banner of Richard Morita and David Yamada and sports a 1:51 1/5 career standard that was established two years ago at Pocono Downs.She has plenty of back class in her corner.