A $5,500 Open Pace that finds Im An Athlete heading the cast and another contentious renewal of the $6.600 Filly and Mare Open Pace will be the main events on Friday night’s 11-race card at Cal Expo.
Im An Athlete is fresh from back-to-back scores at the head of the class, and for his efforts, the Jessie Pacheco trainee will be asked to do his work this time around from the assigned No. 10 post position. James Kennedy will once again guide the Ronald Rettig-Zucchi colourbearer.
An eight-year-old son of Art Major, Im An Athlete has put his class and versatility on display in his last two scores at Cal Expo’s Open level. He was sent away at odds of 13-1 in his January 27 tally and was hammered down to 3-5 for last week’s decision.
In that first victory from the outside post in a field of nine, Kennedy left into a tracking trip, cleared once straightened for home, and came home powerfully to get the job done by a length and a half that evening.
In last week’s clash at the top level, Im An Athlete shot right to the front for Kennedy, carved out all the fractions without pressure, and came to the wire with a length and three-quarters to spare in a 1:52 tour.
Taking him on from the rail out are Bettors Promise, Cantholdmebackmack, Jimp The Shark, Ragins Flight, Almost Cut My Hair and Gorgeous For Real.
A strong case can be made for most of the distaffers in the co-featured Filly and Mare Open. Trainer Kathie Plested will be represented by last week’s flying-finish runner-up, Shark Festival (to be driven by Mooney Svendsen) and Boozer Bruiser, who will have the services of Steve Wiseman.
Pick 5, Pick 6 Carryovers Spice Friday Action
Friday night’s program will feature a pair of carryovers – kicking off with an $8,245 carryover in the 20-cent Pick 5 that covers the first five events on the evening.
There will be a $30,000-guaranteed gross pool for the Pick 5, which is one of two wagers each night along with the 20-cent Pick 4 that features a reduced 16 per cent takeout rate.
There is also a $3,840 carryover in the 50-cent Pick 6, which is decided on the penultimate six races on the card.
There is a carryover in the Pick 5, despite the fact that last Saturday night’s sequence featured a 3-5 winner in Im An Athlete, who was recording his second straight victory in the Open Pace.
While three of the other winners were very logical at 5-2, 3-1 and 7-2, what ignited the carryover was Hi Fidelity’s victory in the opener at $50 for owner/trainer Rick Cisco and pilot Ryan Grundy.
In addition, on Friday night Cisco sent out the 13-year-old Blue Note for a victory in the Alan Kirschenbaum Final with Luke Plano doing the honours. She made every pole a winning one in a 1:54.2, just a tick off the lifetime mark she established at Cal Expo last season.
Fittingly, Blue Note is a daughter of Little Steven, who was a tremendous racehorse and sire for Kirschenbaum.
(Cal Expo)