One of the best races of the meet could be for the driving crown, with Luke Plano, Steve Wiseman and James Kennedy staking a claim for the title through the first six weeks of this stand.
Plano came into this week atop the standings with 20 trips to the charmed enclosure, bringing his lifetime total to 2,644 with $9.5 million in earnings. Luke is following in the footsteps of his father Rick, who was a leading driver and trainer in California for many years.
“There are some new horsemen here and that adds to the competitiveness of the racing,” Plano said. “I’ll have a few horses in my barn, but I prefer to concentrate on the driving.”
Steve Wiseman is currently second with 18 victories to his credit at the meet, while leading the trainer stands with 15 of his representatives returning to have their picture taken. His total driving wins now stands at 2,136 with $8.2 million in earnings.
“Being the leading driver and trainer was the goal coming into the meet,” Wiseman explained. “I’ve never won a training title before, so that would be nice, and I’ve got a great crew to help me.”
James Kennedy is also off to a good start at Cal Expo with 13 snapshots and figures to be right in the hunt through the close of business in early May. Kennedy, who recorded a number of driving and training victories with the popular mare Haggin Oaks, currently sits with 866 sulky scores on his resume.
Featured Pace brings out A Real Miracle
A Real Miracle, victorious in three of his five appearances at the meet, looks to keep the momentum going when he heads the cast for Saturday night’s $6,000 Open Pace at Cal Expo.
A 12-race card is on tap with first post set for 6:10 p.m. There is now Saturday and Sunday racing under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post on Sunday at 4:40 p.m. Beginning December 26, Friday action will be added to the mix.
A Real Miracle is a four-year-old son of Real Desire who is owned by Junior Wilkinson, Billie Schwartz and Ivan Axelrod, is conditioned by Wilkinson and is guided by Luke Plano. He established his 1:52.1 career standard this summer over the seven-eighths Hoosier Park oval.
The Wilkinson trainee has clicked three times from five stats at this meet, including a dominating victory in the main event on opening week. After tiring in his next two tries, he returned to his winning ways last week as he made what proved to be the winning move for Plano on the backside and went on to a one-length score.
In the most recent clash at the top of the class, A Real Miracle was dispatched as the 3-5 favourite and did not disappoint the chalk players. Plano buzzed the bay performer right to the front, moderated the pace and then held safe by a neck over the pocket-sitting longshot Mar Dream.
The latter put a score into the favourite last week, as he sat the pocket journey and missed by only a neck while two and a half-lengths clear of the rest of the field A six-year-old son of Cambest, Mar Dream is owned by David Neumeister, is trained by Bob John and will again have Mooney Svendsen at the controls. He has a 1:50.2 mark and over $171,000 in his account.
Rounding out the field from the rail out are Cenalta Power for Ryan Grundy; Lifetime Louie with Dave Siegel; Ideal Smile, Steve Wiseman; and Pointsman, who will have the services of Chip Lackey. The headliner goes as the fourth race on the program.
(With files from Cal Expo)