A trio of factors was just what the doctor ordered to smell what Shamderock was cooking
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A field of nine pacers, seven in on a condition, two to be claimed, were featured at Cal Expo on Saturday night (October 15) in the $3,400 Robert Staats Memorial, in which Shamderock, the youngest horse in the race, had little trouble winning.
In advance of starting from Post 3, trainer Luke Plano had several reasons to be optimistic.
"I thought he'd be a bit better," stated Plano. "It was his third start back off a brief layoff; also because he was getting class relief, plus with the good weather we've had I was able to train him back and make some positive rigging changes. Off of those three things, I thought he had a very strong chance of winning."
Slowly floating out and grinding up in the first-turn, the three-year-old didn't get the lead until a good ways past the quarter-mile pole, but off a reasonable :29.3 split.
"I really didn't use him at all -- I was just kind of taking my time as I didn't want to rush him. If he was as good as I thought he would be, I felt he would be hard to handle the rest of the way."
Pacing an easy :29.2 second-quarter into a soft :59 first-half, Plano let his sophomore pace some on the final turn into a :28 third-quarter. Reaching the three-quarter mile station under a grip in 1:27, Plano knew it was time to bar the door.
"He felt pretty strong there and since I hadn't really asked him for a whole lot I thought he'd be tough from there."
Drifting out two-wide at the head of the lane, but drawing clear a few yards later, Plano gave a wheel-disc urge to his pacer at the seven-eighths mile marker and the gelding opened up by 2-1/2-lengths.
"He was in full gear into the stretch and I knew it wasn't in doubt. He paced strongly through the stretch and right down through the wire."
Bred and owned by D & E Racing, Shamderock, while not urged much, scored ($2.80) by two-lengths in 1:55.4, thus notching his 16th victory in just 31 starts. Myras Hiho (Jim Lackey) was a nice second and Arch Nemeses (James Kennedy) finished three-quarters of one-length farther back in third.
"He's a nice horse who raced well. I think he's headed in the right direction for the upcoming Sires Stakes in two weeks," finished Plano.
On the 15-race program, driver Scott Cisco had five winners.
This upcoming week will find the harness action expanding to three nights, with Thursday (October 20) racing being added to the schedule, post time is at 5:30 p.m. (PDT). Post time on Friday (October 21) and Saturday (October 22) is at 6 p.m.
On Thursday and every live card, Cal Expo offers free admission, as well as free preferred & general parking after 4:30 p.m. Also on Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Cal Expo offers a complete Lasagna dinner, which includes salad and bread, for just $3. Additionally on Thursday, beer and wine can be purchased for $3 each as well.
On Saturday, October 22, Cal Expo will feature The Bronte Epilepsy Research Foundation Amateur Series. The event is being sponsored by Lou Pena and some of his owners and between their generosity and the driver fees, a total of $7,000 beyond the purse monies will go to the foundation.
(Cal Expo)