When Terror Time crossed the wire first in last Saturday night’s opener, it was another snapshot for the Robin Clements colourbearer and also marked a milestone for pilot Steve Wiseman, as he reached the 2,000-win plateau.
“Any time you win is great, but it was especially nice because it was Steve’s 2,000th,” Clements related after all the picture-taking had been completed.
Terror Time, a six-year-old son of Western Terror with 145 starts on his resume and $145,000 in his bank account, is one of those blue-collar workers that knows his job and comes to play week in and week out. “He’s a stunning horse to look at and has a personality you’ve got to love,” Robin noted. “He has his issues, though, one being that he sees ghosts!
“When you train or jog him, you need to stay on your toes because you just never know when he’s going to jump sideways. He wears a fly mask to help drown out the track monsters and shadows on the track.”
Clements claimed Terror Time for $4,000 at Cal Expo last November, and didn’t do particularly well with the performer before he was taken back by his original connections. “I was searching for another horse to claim and looked at about 15, but I kept coming back to him because I had this feeling I was missing the boat.
“I made a few changes when I got him the second time and he started doing well. I sent him to Minnesota this summer with Tim and Denise (Maier) as they had a spot for him and he had a good meet there. He came back in great shape, I gave him a few weeks off for some pasture rest and he’s been strong. He’s all heart and I wish I had four more like him.”
Terror Time will seek victory No. 21 when he suits up in Saturday night’s 11th race from the outside slot, with Wiseman giving directions as he starts his long march to the joining the 3,000 club.
CALIFORNIA HARNESS LEGENDS SERIES CONTINUES; BREEDERS CROWN SIMULCAST ON TAP
The second leg of the Bill Conlin, Annette Funicello, Jim Dennis and Mike Corley Pacing series and a simulcast of the complete Breeders Crown card from Pocono Downs head the bill at the Watch and Wager LLC Meet at Cal Expo on Saturday.
The Breeders Crown simulcast set to begin at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, with such trotting superstars as Captaintreacherous and Bee A Magician in action at Pocono in what promises to be an outstanding card with championships on the line. First post for the live racing at Cal Expo is 5:55 p.m.
Looking at the second legs of the local series with the finales set for next week, Live A Little and Serious Art have established themselves as the big guns in the Bill Conlin after finishing one-two as the favourites last weekend. Live A Little made every pole a winning one from the No. 9 post for Mooney Svendsen, while Serious Art had a long, first-over trip from the second tier with Luke Plano and was a solid runner-up.
The Jim Dennis is shaping up as another contest dominated by two performers, as Emmasphere and Lust combined for a popular exact in the opening salvo. The former opened a daylight advantage turning for home, but needed the wire to come up just in time while holding safe over a long-fused Lust as that pair paced to their public support.
Windy City Paige was well prepared by owner/trainer Richard Dunneback and captured the first leg of the Annette Funicello while making her first evening appearance since March. James Kennedy gunned the eight-year-old Cole Muffler mare into the stretch to open up five lengths, then just survived over another returnee in Poorlittlerichgirl as that one flew home when she got the chance to pace in the lane.
The start of the Mike Corley series proved easy pickings for I O One, who was up close and personal throughout as the 6-5 chalk for Luke Plano and bid adios at the head of the stretch to post a three and a half-length decision. Fork In The Road put in a solid first-over try with James Kennedy and is certainly going to have a say in this event over the next two weeks.
The second contest on the 14-race program is a $4,500 Open 2 Handicap for the pacing fillies and mares. Wild About Eagle, a 13-1 upsetter last week at this level for Steve Wiseman, has been assigned the outside post in the field of seven by Racing Secretary Fred Kuebler.
(Cal Expo)