A pair of $12,000 California Sires Stakes for sophomore fillies on both gaits were featured at Cal Expo on Friday night

(May 11).

In the event for the pacers, driver Steve Wiseman knew one thing with his charge back in against her own kind after a third in Open company, but it was dependent upon another.

"I thought I had a real good chance, I just had to get away up close," stated Wiseman.

Firing out from post position six in the field of the same number, Diva Las Vegas had the lead just as the field entered the first turn, yet paced a speedy :28.1 opening quarter. Was Wiseman concerned?

"No, the reason I went :28.1 was that I just wanted to settle everybody. She handled it fine."

Getting a nice :30.2 second quarter breather, Wiseman knew the soft split had to be helpful.

"The second quarter breather bravened her right up because I got my own way in that quarter. What was even better was that I had a good hold of her, plus she felt strong."

Pacing a :28.4 third-quarter, but effortlessly, Wiseman had good reason for tapping on the pedal.

"I just wanted to step it up a little and keep the pace going when I saw La Madawna De Rosa [with Lemoyne Svendsen] was coming first-up, plus I didn't want my horse headed. At that point she felt good and real strong, and I still thought I had a good shot from there."

Under whip-tap urging very late in the final turn, Wiseman let his three-year-old pace on her own to the seven-eighths mile marker, but with La Madawna De Rosa now only three-quarters of one length behind her.

"I knew La Madawna De Rosa was coming, but I didn't feel that I had to urge my horse yet because she still felt pretty strong. Then with an eighth of a mile to go I urged her a little bit and she went on and responded very well."

Under moderate urging until hand urged the last sixteenth of a mile, the daughter of Hi Ho Silverheels-Prettylittlerebel wouldn't be denied.

"She fought off La Madawna De Rose and got the job done."

Owned by Wayne Knittle in partnership with trainer and co-breeder Denise Maier, the filly, now having recorded back-to-back Sires Stakes triumphs, scored ($4) by one length in 1:56.1, a lifetime best. Little Anna Mae (Tim Maier), also trained by Denise Maier, finished in second, and La Madawna De Rosa finished one length farther back in third.

"She's becoming a very nice filly and now becoming very tactical because she raced and won on the front. It was a good race for her," finished Wiseman.

In the other Sires Stake, this a two-horse non-betting event for the trotters held prior to the wagering card, Silverlode and Steve Desomer were content to come away in second from post one into a :31.2 opening quarter. Making a 5/16ths move to the top into a 1:01 first half, the pair opened up with almost every stride in the third-quarter, thus all alone by 12 lengths at the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:30. Continuing to expand her lead in the lane, the daughter of British Sterling-Charlottes Wed cruised home to win by 27 lengths while stopping the timer at 1:59.4, easily a lifetime best. California Crush (Sue Boyce) finished in second. She is now three-for-three on the year (all in Sires Stakes events).

(Cal Expo)