By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Pacing
fillies and mares hold the spotlight at Cal Expo Saturday evening, with
Velocity McSweets heading the marquee.
The
main event goes as the fifth of 11 races presented by Watch and Wager LLC and
first post is set for 5:35 p.m.
Velocity
McSweets is a 6-year-old McArdie mare who is owned and trained by Jennifer
Sabot and is again guided by Cordarius Stewart. She will be gunning for her 23rd
snapshot from 86 trips to the post, recently went over the $200,000 mark in
earnings and has a 1:52 mark that was established last year at Tioga Downs.
Following
a smashing win in the December 19 Joe Alto, the bay miss had to settle for
minor awards as the heavy favorite in her next two appearances. She returned to
the winner’s circle last week, however, as she stormed home from off the pace
to get the job done over a sloppy track.
Bertha
Vanation had to settle for the place money that night after rattling off
back-to-back upsets at the top rung for owner Cathy Dessert and driver/trainer
Nick Roland.
The
Voracious Hanover mare captured the January 2 Open at 25-1 and came right back
to weeks later to click again at 7-1 while earning a lifetime best 1:53 2/5
clocking in the process.
Taking
her on this weekend are Alwaysalittlemore with Luke Plano; Dancingonthesand,
Mooney Svendsen; Capitol Hill; Delightfully Wild, Tony Kerwood; Paloma Ruiz,
Jacob Cutting; Mary’s Pretty Girl with Doug Chappell; and Bertha Vanation for
Nick Roland.
Get
My Good Side prevails in wild finish
The
finish of last Saturday night’s seventh race looked more like a quarter horse
race than a pacing event, as the first five across the line were separated by a
total of half a length.
At
the end, it was the mild 3-1 choice Get My Good Side who prevailed by a nose
over Johnny Ringo, with Regal Mark beaten two nostrils for the whole thing,
while Sneak Peek Hanover was another head back in fourth with How Your Remind
checking in fifth beaten half a side.
“I
can’t remember ever calling a finish like that one,” track announcer Gary
Seibel noted. “Like a bigger than normal ocean wave, you could almost see it
forming around the sixteenth pole. At that point, there’s much you can do
except brace for impact – and try not to get tongue tied!”
The
victory was sweet revenge for Get My Good Side, who himself was beaten a nose a
week earlier after holding a clear lead in deep stretch. He was ultra-game last
Saturday, doing the work in first-over fashion for Jacob Cutting.
The
4-year-old is conditioned by George Reider, who co-owns the performer with Dave
and Rob Haness. “I bought this horse the last day of racing at Running Aces,”
Reider noted. “He’s a nice little horse who doesn’t do many things wrong.”
One
race later, Rockinscience rattled off his third straight win while capturing
the Robert Gordon Pace, going coast-to-coast for Luke Plano as the 1-5 choice.
After posting a sparkling 1:52 2/5 decision one race back, he returned with a
1:53 3/5 jaunt last weekend.
It
was also a consecutive double on the card for Dave Haness, who co-owns the son
of Rockin Image with Nikki Hudson.
Talk
about a nice half an hour.
