Veteran horseman Tony Kerwood only arrived in California a few weeks ago, but he made his presence felt quickly with a win behind Relentless Dancer for Ashlee Sluggett in his second-ever trip to the post at Cal Expo.
The 62-year-old native of Ontario grew up around horses and got his initial exposure to the sport through his father. “It was more of a hobby for him and I pretty much picked up what I knew about horses on the farm.”
Kerwood was 19 when he decided harness racing would be a full-time occupation and put in 30 years of winning up and down Canada and at the Meadowlands, with multiple stakes-winning trotter Armbro Temple being his star pupil. He admits things tapered off in his 50’s when he just kept a small stable, but then a phone call from out of the blue changed that situation.
“It was about a year and half ago that I got a call from Rick Mowles, who was looking for someone to drive his horses at Fraser Downs,” Tony continued. “That brought me back more into the game.”
When asked about bringing his buggy and whip here to Cal Expo earlier this month, Kerwood explained it was pretty much a combination of factors.
Tony Kerwood drives Style to victory at Mohawk
“First of all, COVID shut down the track, and then I got some good reports about the racing here and the great weather from someone who had come down at the start of the meet.
“I’ve certainly driven my share of the bigger tracks like Woodbine, Mohawk and the Meadowlands, and I have to say that this is a good group of guys driving down here and it’s been very enjoyable.
“Right now it looks like I’ll stay through the end of the meet, and then I might follow the circuit and head to Minnesota.”
Cal Expo Open Pace lures Allmyxsliventexas
Unbeaten in five appearances at this meet, Allmyxsliventexas looks to keep the streak going in Sunday night’s featured $7,200 Open Pace.
There will be 12 races decided under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 4:50 p.m.
An eight-year-old homebred son of Hi Ho Silverheels out of the Distinguishedbaron mare Annie Get Your Gun, Allmyxsliventexas races for Wayne and Rod Knittel with Bob Johnson the conditioner and Jacob Cutting will be at the controls from the assigned outside post in the field of eight.
The Knittel charge comes into this race with 44 trips to the charmed enclosure from his 138 starts, $250,000 in the bank and a 1:50 lifetime standard that was set three years ago at Hoosier Park.
Allmyxsliventexas scored his richest win at the meet in the December 11 Dave Goldschmidt and three of his six tallies were recorded from the assigned No. 10 post position, including his most recent decision two weeks ago.
Sent off at 9-5 in that affair, he was parked a long way to the lead at the half, fought off a strong challenge on the final bend and then gamely held safe over Hoo Nien A by a neck in a 1:52 tour.
Looking to end his streak are Rockinscience from the rail with Luke Plano; Im An Athlete and Doug Chappell; Proof with Cordarius Stewart; Pondas Prospect and Nick Roland; Royale Big Guy with Mooney Svendsen; Super Pac Hanover and Tony Kerwood; and Hoo Nien A for Gerry Longo.
(Cal Expo)