By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
A
$10,000 California Sire Stakes featuring Believe In Dragons and an Open Pace
that finds Allmyx’sliventexas in search of yet another victory are the
highlights on Sunday night’s Cal Expo.
The
Sire Stakes goes as the fourth event and the Open Pace is the eighth contest on
the 12-race Watch and Wager LLC card. First post is 4:50 p.m.
Believe
In Dragons is a son of Custard The Dragon who races for Lorne Duffield and
Rodney Hennessey, takes his lessons from Quentin Schneider and will once again
have the services of Cordarius Stewart.
After
getting a nice prep in a qualifier on February 14, Believe In Dragons made his
seasonal debut a week later in the first stakes clash of the year for this
group. He was dispatched as the 8-5 second choice while doing his work from the
rail slot.
Stewart
sat a chilly third with Believe In Dragons through the early stages, then came
first-over to press the issue and dug in gamely through the drive to prevail by
a head over a fast-closing Im A Magic Man.
The
latter is a Mystician homebred who carries the banner of Richard Schneider,
hails from the Ariel Alvarez barn and has Jake Cutting back in the sulky. He
got going late from the middle of the track to just miss in his debut.
Taking
them on Sunday are Arnie’s Army, So Watch Me Now, Lodi Phillip and Chase The
Gold.
Meanwhile,
Allmyx’sliventexas is strictly the one to beat once again in the co-featured
Open Pace as he leaves from the assigned No. 10 post position in the field of
six for his owner/breeders Wayne and Rod Knittel, trainer Bob Johnson and
driver Nick Roland.
Fear
Factor gets Wendi’s heart racing
When
Fear Factor got the job done in last Sunday’s second race, Wendi Wiener admits
it was like getting a jump start on her love of racing.
The
6-year-old son of Always A Virgin, who is co-owned by Wendi and trainer
Nathalie Tremblay, was making his first appearance on the year with Nick Roland
guiding him to the two and a quarter-length score.
“Since
my husband Stu passed, I’ve just been racing our homebreds, and after
Lilbitofmama retired I really though I was done,” Wendi related.
“It
just didn’t feel the same anymore. We know racing is in our blood and we just
can’t quit, but I felt I would.”
Weiner
then fast forwards to just about a year ago, when she got a call from Tremblay.
“Nat called and said she found a horse she thinks she can improve on. We’ve been
partners on many horses, but at that time it felt different and I still wasn’t
sure.”
Wendi
eventually gave Tremblay the green light and Fear Factor, or Joe as the pacer
has been nicknamed, became part of the barn.
“Nat
did a hell of a job figuring him out, and that win the other night woke up my
heart. I was screaming and yelling and there were tears of happiness at the
wire. I honestly didn’t know if I would ever get that feeling back.
“I
want to thank the horse, Nat, Stretchie and Nick Roland for getting me excited
about racing again.”
