The way Hi Hos Little Rev has been picking up his game with each start, he’s likely a force to be reckoned with when the first sire stakes for the three-year-old pacing males rolls around next week at Cal Expo.

The son of Hi Ho Silverheels races for Vanessa Gilliam, takes his lessons from Bob Johnson, and has been handled in each of his appearances by Mooney Svendsen, who is high on the gelding. “He’s a little guy, but he’s growing and he’s definitely got the right attitude,” said Svendsen.

Hi Hos Little Rev went a mile in 2:04.1 in his first qualifier, took a second off that time in his second practice mile, was third with a 2:01.4 clocking in his first official start, and then romped home by five and a half lengths at most recent asking while stopping the clock in a snappy 1:57.1 that evening.

“Bob wanted us to go about 2:04 in that first qualifier and that’s what we did,” Svendsen noted. “He was green that day and also pretty much all over the track in the second qualifier when he cut out all the pace.

“For the first start under the lights, Bob put some cheater cups on him and he went right to the front, got covered up and then finished real well. We were real happy with the effort.”

In last week’s tour, Hi Hos Little Rev sat a pocket journey, ignited in the stretch and shaved a full four and three-fifths seconds off his mark in a race where he admittedly had some trouble behind him.

“He was absolutely flawless that night,” his pilot related. “He couldn’t be coming up to next week’s first stakes any better.” With a few other newly-turned sophomores showing some promise of late, it figures to be interesting.

Guarantee Increased On Low-Takeout Pick 4

Watch and Wager LLC, the operator of Cal Expo Harness, has increased the guarantee on the 16 per cent takeout Pick 4 from $20,000 to $30,000 for the remainder of January.

A 10-race card is on tap Friday with first post set at 6:40 p.m. Racing is now being conducted three nights a week with the trotters and pacers in action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

The Pick 4 is one of four wagers offered on each program with that reduced 16 per cent takeout rate. In addition to the 20-cent Pick 4, there is the 50-cent Pick 5, the 10-cent Jackpot 6 and the 10-cent Hi-Five on the nightcap.

To help players get a head start, announcer Gary Seibel and handicapper Dave Brower do an informative and entertaining simulcast seminar prior to the Pick 4 that has proven to be very popular.

Friday’s feature is a conditioned pace that finds the multiple stakes-winning King Of The Crop from the Gordie Graham barn taking on a strong field while doing his work from Post 7 with Bruce Clarke at the controls.

Looking ahead to Saturday, El Azteca and Its Not Over, who have divided up all the top dances for the trotting set at this meeting, go at it once again in the featured Open Trot.

El Azteca is a six-year-old son of Panama Hanover who comes into this assignment with three victories from the seven Open Trots during this stand, while arch-rival Its Not Over has posed following the other four. El Azteca is owned, trained and was bred by Marco Rios and James Kennedy once again has the assignment.

(Cal Expo)