Before this meet, Rene Goulet had not competed at Cal-Expo in 18 years, but he’s happy to be back and enjoying the warmer temperatures.
“The people here are nice and friendly and it’s been fun catching up with everybody,” said Goulet, who has brought eight performers down from Canada along with his partner, Glenda Smith.
“It’s also nice to get away from that cold and snow.”
Included in the group that came down with Goulet is the three-year-old pacing filly Cenalta Call Girl, who has provided him with his first two victories at this stand, including a tally as the odds-on choice in the Annette Funicello Pace last week4.
Rene was born into the sport, learning about harness racing from from his father, Art, and uncle, Al Goertzen.
“I pretty much knew by the time I was 10 this is what I wanted to do,” said the 50-year-old native Manitoba.
Goulet cut his teeth on half-mile tracks, but has also done his share of driving on five-eighths and mile ovals in the Great White North.
“I actually prefer a mile track like the one here at Cal Expo, because I like to let my horses sit and finish.”
Goulet's favourite horse of his is KG Explorer, who is among the performers who have shipped down with him this season.
“He’s 13 now and I’ve had him since I bought him for $1,500 as a 3-year-old.”
The Saturday, November 25 program at Cal-Expo is headed by an Open Trot featuring Pridecrest, a Filly and Mare Open Pace featuring Capitol Hill, and the Bill Conlin Prep.
First post for the 12-race program is 6:10 p.m. The Open Trot goes as the fourth race, while the Conlin Prep is the sixth race and the Distaff Open is scheduled as the eighth contest on the card.
A five-year-old son of Angus Hall from the Wesgate Crown mare Spilled Milk, Pridecrest races for Mark Hinshaw with Luke Plano doing the driving and training. He comes into this assignment with $177,000 to his record and will start from the assigned-post 10 this weekend.
The black horse made his California debut on November 3 and wired the field for Plano, crossing the wire nearly 10-lengths clear of his nearest rival while establishing a track record with the 1:53.2 clocking.
Suiting up the next week from the outside post in a field of nine, Pridecrest stalked early, took over turning for home and drew off by six-and-a-quarter lengths as the 2-5 favourite.
Taking him on are Becky Badger Baby for Nick Roland, Agrestores Comet and James Kennedy, One Chief and Steve Wiseman, Talkin Tootsie and Mooney Svendsen, and Itzaziam with Sean Smithpeters.
In the Filly and Mare Pace, Capitol Hill, a six-year-old daughter of Badlands Hanover, has fired in all four of her starts at the meet and has come away with a pair of victories, including last week’s Distaff Open in a first-over performance with Steve Wiseman. George McChrystal and Kathie Plested own with Plested the conditioner.
(With files from Cal-Expo)