Amanda Fraser will send out a pair of pacers in Saturday’s Survivor 1 finale at Cal Expo, and while Hell N Damnation and Fairway Gypsy don’t figure to be early factors, they should be making their presence felt when push comes to shove.
Both pacers are owned by Fraser and Scott Cisco, with Cisco guiding Hell N Damnation and Mooney Svendsen handling Fairway Gypsy. The latter was fourth in his division of the second leg of the series, while Hell N Damnation looped his rivals to win the other division going away in a very impressive mile.
“We’ve had Hell N Damnation for three years and he’s a nice one,” Cisco related. “When we first got him, he always came from well back, but he’s a little more versatile now even though he still does his best from off the pace. Opening week he didn’t have the best cover and it didn’t take us that far, then last time he was loaded.”
In that November 10 mile, the eight-year-old found himself in last and third-over by the half before he exploded four wide off the final bend and won going away by two lengths. “He can handle any kind of track, and as far as the missed week because of the cancellation, everybody is in the same boat,” Scott said.
Fairway Gypsy was the victim of an early break in the opening leg of the 'Survivor,' then was fanned wide turning for home in his last engagement and finished with interest to be beaten only two lengths by Asgoodasioncewas. “He hit a divot in that first start, which is why he made the break, and he had poor cover and a wide trip in that last one.
“If they got a fast pace out there, which is usually the case when there is some kind of a final, it would help both these horses. Hopefully, they’ll be coming strong at the end and a one-two finish would be great.”
(Cal Expo)