By
Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
A
pair of $14,000 California Sire Stakes for the 4-year-olds and a $6,700 Filly
and Mare Open Pace are the featured attractions on Saturday night’s Cal Expo
program.
There
will be 13 races presented under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post
set for 4:50 p.m., with one of the Sire Stakes events going as a non-betting
contest prior to the regular program.
The
distaff Sire Stakes goes as the fourth race and Prom Queen is coming off a
victory in a dead-heat last weekend and should be well backed for owners
Desomer Stables, trainer Quentin Schneider and driver Nick Roland. Taking her
on are Debit or Credit, Winhavetime, Akanay and Le Montrachet.
Looking
at the co-featured Filly and Mare Open Pace, Alwaysalittlemore and Velocity
McSweets get a rematch after putting on quite a show in last week’s clash at
the head of the division.
Alwaysalittlemore
is a 7-year-old daughter of Always A Virgin out of the Cole Muffler mare
Whatiftheresmore who is owned by Maria Alvarez and Terrence Smith and is reined
and trained by Luke Plano.
Sent
off at 9-2 in last week’s Distaff Open while leaving from the rail slot,
Alwaysalittlemore was able to work out a pocket trip, moved to the lead at
midstretch and then had enough to hold safe over the fast-closing favorite Velocity
McSweets.
The
latter accounted for the Joe Alto Pace in December and has a pair of Open
scores to her credit this season. Jennifer Sabot owns and trains the 6-year-old
McArdle mare and Cordarius Stewart has the return assignment.
Completing
the field are Delightfully Wild with Doug Chappell; Bertha Vanation, Nick
Roland; Paloma Ruiz for Jacob Cutting and Marys Pretty Girl, who leaves from
the rail with Tony Kerwood.
Plano
guides talented distaffers into circle
Last
Saturday night was a good one for Luke Plano as he piloted four performers into
the winner’s circle, including Doubletherocks in the first Sire Stakes of the
year for the sophomores and Alwaysalittlemore in the Filly and Mare Open Pace.
Doubletherocks
is a homebred daughter of Lettherockbegin who carries the banner of Nikki
Hudson and is reined and trained by husband Luke. She sat the pocket behind
heavily-favored Cookiesncream and streaked home for the easy decision.
“I
actually claimed the mare and it turned out she had some issues, but I thought
she would make a good broodmare and we bred her to a Minnesota sire,” Luke
related.
“We
got her ready in Indiana and Minnesota, and she had the one start at Running
Aces, but she had a heath issue and we backed off and pointed for these races.
I’ve been very happy with her two wins here.”
Alwaysalittlemore
is a Maria Alvarez and Terrence Smith colorbearer who was picking up her first
Open score at this session while ending up on the right end of a head photo
with even-money favorite Velocity McSweets.
“This
is a real nice mare with a great mind,” her mentor noted. “She wasn’t having
any luck at the Meadowlands at the end of last year, so they decided to bring
her back here.
“We
gave her some time, so she was a little bit behind these other mares, but she’s
come around really well and it didn’t hurt to get a nice trip the other night.”
It
will be interesting to watch both of these talented distaffers going forward,
with the next round of stakes action for the 3-year-olds coming up next week.
