Racing Secretary Fred Kuebler expects a dozen qualifiers this Saturday as horses and horsemen get ready for the ‘Watch and Wager LLC’ meeting at Cal Expo that is set to begin Saturday, October 5 and will run through May 17 of 2014.

“I’m really looking forward to this meet,” said Kuebler. “We’ve currently got 68 new horses on the grounds, directly as the result of the new horse incentive program, and I’m confident that number will reach the 100 limit. Some of these are very nice trotters and pacers that will certainly add to the quality of our racing.”

Racing will be conducted on Saturday nights in October, with Friday and Saturday evening action set to begin in November.

The California Harness Horseman’s Association, in partnership with Watch and Wager LLC, is pleased to offer the new horse incentive program for the meeting. Under the program, each new horse will receive $1,000 in bonus money upon making its first start, with a new horse being defined as a trotter or pacer that has not started at Cal Expo since June 14, 2012.

Watch and Wager LLC also plans to honour many of the legendary figures of California harness racing with an extensive series of late-closing events.

Among the highlights are the Annette Funnicello Pacing Series starting on October 12; the Dr. Gary Budahn Trotting Series and Lonnie Beck Pacing Series, which begin on December 27 and 28, respectively; the Alan Kirschenbaum Pacing Series that is set to get underway on February 7; the Stan Bergstein Trotting Series on March 21 and the Lloyd Arnold Pacing Series on March 22.

Plenty of stalls are still available with no stall rent. For the list of California Harness Legends late closing events; complete new horse incentive rules; stall applications and purse schedule, please go to calxharness.com or contact us at [email protected].

(Cal Expo)