Delta Breezeoflodi owned the Jim Grundy Trot on February 17 at Cal Expo. She had narrowly captured the Grundy Prep over a ‘sloppy’ track, but she scored a definitive victory in last weekend’s final. She caught an off track once again, but she proved that she may enjoy them.

A four-year-old daughter of Little Steven out of the multiple stakes-winning Spicy Charlie mare Magna Kay, Delta Breezeoflodi is actually bred to be a pacer. She is owned by Mary Harris and Pierre Girard, with Girard the conditioner. Luke Plano has been handling the driving duties.

Last year was a frustrating one for the mare, as she had to settle for just one victory from her 26 starts with 13 place and show finishes, but this season she’s already made four trips to the winner’s circle from her eight appearances, including the two Grundy scores and a tally in the Gary Budahn Prep.

“She was a two-year-old when we switched her over to trotting,” Girard explained. “We couldn’t get her to pace at all, but when we took off the hopples it was a different story.

“As far as last year goes, I wasn’t disappointing because trotters often need more time, and even though she wasn’t winning very much, she was developing with every race and putting in a real good finish almost every time.

“Luke Plano has been very important to her success this year, because he does a great job with her. I knew she would like the off tracks, because we get a lot of them at the farm and she always trains well in the mud.

“The plan now is to give her a week off and then come back for the next sire stakes. Hopefully she can continue to race well with those horses.”

CONTENTIOUS CAST SET FOR FILLY-MARE OPEN

A well-matched field of distaffers in the $6,600 Filly and Mare Open Pace and a pair of California Sire Stakes for the three-year-old pacers and trotters are the highlights on Saturday night’s Cal Expo program.

Watch and Wager LLC will present 13 races and the action is set to get underway at 6:15 p.m. The Distaff Open will go as the ninth race on the evening, while the two sire stakes will be decided as non-betting events prior to the regular card.

Trainer Kathleen Plested is strongly represented in the Filly and Mare Open with Party Hangover Two and Shark Festival giving the barn two solid looks at the outcome in the field of seven.

Party Hangover Two is owned by the trainer, Arnstine and Chambers and will have Steve Wiseman once again doing the driving honours. The Party At Artsplace mare captured the most recent clash at this level two weeks ago, surging when it counted to prevail by a length at the 3-2 favourite.

Shark Festival is a six-year-old Shadow Play mare who carries the banner of Medinah Racing and Scott Ehrlich and will have Mooney Svendsen in his usual spot in the sulky. The long-fused performer has a pair of Open victories to her credit this season, the most recent coming on January 28 in a very game mile.

McFoolery is going in sharp form for owner John Obert and trainer Jennifer Sabot and looms a major player with Chip Lackey handling the lines. She parlayed a conditioned victory to an Open win on February 3 and finished strongly when runner-up to Party Hangover Two at most recent asking.

Completing the field are Window Wiper with David Siegel; Magnifique, who will have the services of Luke Plano; Directing Traffic with James Kennedy; and Blue Gem, who will start from the cozy inside slot with William Hernandez.

(Cal Expo)