After having worked for top Thoroughbred trainers for roughly six years, Edwin Quevedo turned to conditioning Standardbreds nearly three years ago. Heading into this weekend’s programs of live racing, pupils from Quevedo’s stable have won 48 of their 327 races and have performed well, which has led to a .298 UTR for the horseman.
Quevedo has one of the more interesting resumes at Cal Expo.
“I started out working with Carla Gaines and was with her for four years,” Quevedo said. “I worked for Bobby Frankel for about six months, and then spent the rest of my time at the Thoroughbreds with Neil Drysdale.”
The late Frankel and Drysdale are both in the Hall of Fame, while Gaines is one of the most respected conditioners in the state. “I had the chance to be around some very good horses during those years and learned a lot,” he said.
It was only by chance that Quevedo ended up with the Standardbreds. “I was on vacation and visiting a friend here (at Cal Expo) in 2006 and fell in love the trotters and pacers,” he explained. “It was the first time I’d actually been around them, and I knew this is where I wanted to be.”
Quevedo did his apprenticeship with Gilbert Herrera and Matias Ruiz and has established himself as a solid trainer in his own right since taking out his licence. “What I really love about the harness horses is that you can get much more involved with them than with the Thoroughbreds. There is a lot of satisfaction when you win a race.”
Quevedo had a hat trick last Saturday evening. He got his picture taken with Rays Rayzer, Whata Bizness and Janet Rose, all three of which he also owns.
From his 93 starters sent out at the current Cal Expo meet, Quevedo has returned to greet 14 in the charmed enclosure (additionally, 41 of his starters have hot the board).
Alan Kirschenbaum Finale Matches Sophomore Trotters
Kissed The Boys – perfect in two trips to the post including a victory in the first leg – looks to continue the momentum in Sunday night’s featured Alan Kirschenbaum Series final for three-year-old trotters.
There will be 12 races Sunday. First-race post time will be 4:55 p.m. The main event will go as the third race and shares top billing with an Open III contest for the trotters and an Open III for the pacing set.
Kissed The Boys is a homebred daughter of Claudius Augustus out of the champion Website mare who races for the Desomer Stables with Vickie Desomer training and husband Steve handling the lines.
Sent off at 33-1 in her debut two weeks ago in the first leg of the Alan Kirschenbaum over a ‘sloppy’ track, Kissed The Boys turned in a game performance to prevail by a half-length over Lodi Bank Robber.
Wheeled back in a conditioned event last week, the bay filly came up with another big effort to hang on for a nose decision over 1-10 favourite Kickitwithkohler with a 1:59.3 score over a track labelled ‘good’ that night.
Taking her on from the rail out: My Little Susie with Chip Lackey; CW Raisenette, Steve Wiseman; Delta Breezeoflodi, to be handled by William Hernandez; Sixstringsandapick, Pierre Girard; and Lodi Bank Robber with Luke Plano.
Next week will find the trotters and pacers in action on Friday and Saturday, February 5 and 6, with no live racing on Super Bowl Sunday, February 7.
(Cal Expo)