James Kennedy was able to work out a perfect trip from the rail with Walker Meister in last weekend’s Shelly Goudreau final. He rewarded his backers to the tune of $27 while lowering his lifetime mark to 1:52.3 in the process.
Walker Meister goes about his business for George Reider and Rob, Kim and Dave Haness with Reider doing the conditioning, and it was a very special win for all involved.
“I knew Shelly Goudreau and he drove a few horses that I paddocked back in the early ‘80s,” Reider noted after Walker Meister’s score. “I’ll never forget when he won on a horse for me named Dalmead.
“He was bigger than life to me as a kid back then; and I used to say that he had more talent in his baby finger than most people have in their whole body.”
George was paddocking a horse named Tajamon the night that Shelly Goudreau lost his life in a tragic accident in a race at Hollywood Park on August 27, 1982.
“That was one of the saddest nights of my life,” Reider recalled. “Shelly Goudreau was a great man and a great driver.”
As for Walker Meister, Reider said, “He’s a tough horse with a bad wheel, and a lot of the credit has to go to his groom Jose Castillo, who we call ‘Chicky,’ because he has to work very hard to keep that leg together.”
Open Trot, Pace Getting Marquee Treatment
A $6,000 Open Trot headed by the streaking Pridecrest and a $6,600 Open Pace that has enticed a contentious cast of 10 are the highlights on Saturday night’s program at Cal Expo.
There will be 11 races presented under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 6:10 p.m. The Open Trot goes as the second event while the Open Pace occupies the ninth-race slot on the card.
Pridecrest comes into the Open Trot having captured all four of his starts at this meet in impressive fashion since coming in from the Midwest. The five-year-old son of Angus Hall is owned by Mark Hinshaw and is reined and trained by Luke Plano.
Pridecrest established a track record when he won his local debut on November 3 in 1:53.2 and he has added three more victories, including the last pair while doing his work from the demanding Post 10, from which he will once again leave this weekend.
Taking him on from the rail out are Majestic Lady Jo, Windsun Galaxie, The Evictor, Silverhill Volo and Talkin Tootsie.
The Open Pace looms a wide-open affair with a full field set to face the starter. Eastender took the most recent clash at the head of the class on December 26 and will depart from the outside slot in the co-feature.
A six-year-old son of Cheyenne Rei, Eastender is owned by Maryann Plano and Nikki Hudson and will attempt to give driver/trainer Luke Plano a sweep of the featured events on Saturday’s program.
(Cal Expo)