Jailer locks up another trotting victory
By Mark
Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness
After suffering through a tough trip in
his previous mile, the trotter Jailer returned to his winning ways last week
for driver/trainer Rick Bertrand and now has two tallies from four trips to the
post since coming in from Hoosier Park.
The son of Jailhouse Jesse is owned by
Bertrand and Doug Flores and appears to have found a nice home in California.
Last week’s mile saw him leaving sweetly into the pocket, an attack came past
the half and at the wire he had two lengths on his nearest rival.
“Doug and I purchased Jailer from Ken Booher and
Chuck Taylor in Michigan,” Bertrand related. “Ken really liked him and said he
is a really nice horse and probably wouldn't even sell him, but at this time in
his life he only wants one horse and they had just bought a 2-year-old.
“Well, Ken was right He’s a nice horse all the way
around, in the barn or jogging and even driving him. My partner Doug
is from California and retired a few years ago from a hobby shop that was owned
by he and his wife Lorraine.”
Doug Flores always enjoyed coming out to watch the
races at Cal Expo and it was some years ago that Rick asked him if he wanted to
go 50-50 on a horse. “By now we’ve owned a couple dozen horses, including one
Doug had a chance to rename Winonefordoug
“We’ve bred our mare C Miracle Mary, who has a
Cal-bred 2-year-old and weanling and they also have Doug in their names.”
As for Jailer, he is set to start next in Sunday’s
Dr. Gary Budahn Trot. “I know this horse has become one of Doug’s favorites,”
Bertrand added.
Sire Stakes, Open Pace hold the spotlight
King Of The Crop looks to add another
trophy to his display case when he heads the cast in Saturday night’s $10,000
California Sire Stakes for the newly-turned 4-year-old pacing males, while St Lads
Lottto eyes his seventh straight victory in the co-featured Open Pace.
There will be 11 races under the Watch
and Wager LLC banner Saturday evening and the action gets underway at 6:40
p.m.. A reminder that the trotters and pacers are now competing three nights a
week, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday programs.
King Of The Crop is a homebred son of
Little Steven out of the Real; Artist mare Romance Me who races for Frank
Nevarez, is conditioned by Gordie Graham and will have Bruce Clarke in the sulky.
King Of The Crop has accounted for the
last two added-money events decided for this division, capturing the April 26
gathering that finished up the last meet and then proving a punctual even-money
favorite in the initial stakes decided at this stand on November 29.
In that mile, the Nevarez colorbearer was a game,
first-over winner with the 1:55 1/5 clocking being two ticks off the mark he
established here at the last session. He returned to take down a conditioned
affair at next asking and then finished fourth in his most recent trip to the
post.
Looking
at the Open Pace, St Lads Lotto is a son of Stonebridge Regal who races for
Ferne and Jack Frydman and he established his lifetime standard of 1:52 last
year in his native Canada at Mohawk Raceway. Steve Wiseman, who has guided him
in his last five tallies, once again gets the call from trainer Mark Winacott.
The dark-hued performer started his winning streak
when capturing an optional seller on November 9 and has been steadily working
his way up the ladder in the process, with the last four scores coming at the
Open level. He has used his patented late charge to take down the last five,
with a half-length margin over China King two weeks ago and hanging a head
decision on that foe at most recent asking.
