By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
Rockin With Lou, coming off
three sparkling wins at the head of the class, looks to keep the momentum going
in Friday night’s featured $6,500 Filly and Mare Open Pace at Cal Expo.
Nine races are on tap, with
the feature going as the fourth on the card and first post set for 6:45 p.m.
Rockin With Lou is a
5-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Ram Rocket
who is owned, trained and driven by Gerry Longo. She comes into Friday
evening’s assignment having won 19 of her 57 starts with $137,000 in her
account and a 1:52 3/5 mark.
Longo’s performer established
that standard when she captured the January 9 Distaff Open, coming from last to
win going away that night. She came back the next week to once again rally from
last while going clear at the end.
Sent off at 50 cents on the
dollar for the most recent clash for this group two weeks ago, Rockin With Lou
sat last early, came out with live cover behind Shesureissomething and
overpowered that rival while once again going a snappy 1:52 3/5 mile.
Shesureissomething has had to
settle for the exacta completion behind Rockin With Lou in their last two
meetings, on both occasions doing her work in game, first-over fashion. Alan
and Cheryl Sandbulte own, Rick Bertrand trains and Cordarius Stewart will once
again be in the sulky.
Rounding out the field are
Lifeisashortwalk for driver/trainer Nick Roland; the Kathie Plested-trained
Changing Colors with Mooney Svendsen and Prom Queen for trainer Quentin
Schneider and pilot James Kennedy.
Worthy Opponent looks
stakes worthy
Bob Johnson unveiled a
nice-looking 3-year-old pacer for Wayne and Rodney Knittel last weekend when
Worthy Opponent got the job done at first asking with Mooney Svendsen in the
sulky.
Sent off the 6-5 second
choice in that affair off a solid qualifying score, Worthy Opponent stepped it
up a notch by taking complete control of the contest with two moves to the lead
at the half and went on to a six and a quarter-length romp.
The homebred gelding is by Hi
Ho Silverheel’s, who passed away last year, out of the Dragon Again mare Mistup
Magic, who also raced under Johnson’s care.
“This is a nice-looking horse
and we’re getting him ready for the Sire Stakes races in a few weeks,” the
trainer related after last Sunday night’s diploma earner.
“He had a good qualifier, but
I was still a little surprised he raced that strong in his first start. Mooney
said he drove real well and it didn’t seem to him like they were going that
fast, which is always a good sign.”
The Sire Stakes action for
the 3-year-olds is set to begin on February 18, with a $7,500 contest for the
colts and for the fillies followed by four $15,000 events for each division.
Johnson is hoping to have
another Knittel homebred by Hi Ho Silverheel’s for the filly stakes in Toot
Toot, who has a pair of qualifiers under her belt and is set to make her debut
Friday night.
