Brandon Jenson is a new face on the Cal-Expo scene, as the 23-year-old native of Iowa is trying his luck in the Golden State.
“For the last two years I’ve been racing at Running Aces in Minnesota, and the plan is to race here in California during the winter months and then go back there for the summer,” Jenson explained.
Jenson is a third-generation harness horseman, and he’s the nephew of Dr. Gary Budahn, who certainly left his mark on the sport before his untimely passing. He has been driving for seven years, cutting his teeth on the county fair tracks in his home state before moving on to a number of ovals in the Midwest, including Prairie Meadows and Running Aces.
“I was thinking about coming out here last year, but things didn’t work out, but now we’ve come with 10 horses and we’ll be looking to claim some more,” he said. “When I talked about coming out here with guys like Tim Maier and Steve Wiseman this summer at Running Aces, they were very encouraging.”
Jenson has competed on half-mile, five-eighths and mile tracks, and prefers the once-around ovals like Cal-Expo.
“I like a mile track because I think it gives the horse the fairest chance, especially when they have an outside post.”
As far as favourite horses go at this point in his career, the names Double Brand and Rich Native come up.
“Double Brand is a trotter who did real well for us, and Rich Native is a horse who we brought out here that I like quite a bit.”
Four $20,000 championship events for two-year-old trotters and pacers will take place Saturday at Cal-Expo, with Shamderock and Im So Sulky attempting clean sweeps in their respective divisions. Saturday night also means $10,000 guaranteed-gross pools in both the Early and Late Pick 4s, with a reduced 15 per cent takeout.
Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday, November 18 and will continue through Saturday, November 20. First-race post time on Thursday is at 5:20 p.m. (PST). Approximate first-race post time and Friday and Saturday is 5:45 p.m.
(Cal-Expo)