A pair of $20,000 USD California Sires Stakes for sophomore pacers, along with an Open Pace featuring A Major Omen and an Open Trot that brings out Pridecrest, will share the spotlight on Friday evening, Feb. 16 at Cal Expo.
There will be 10 races decided under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post at 6:45 p.m.
The two Sires Stakes give the three-year-olds their first chance in the state's stakes program and it will be interesting to see how they sort themselves out over the next couple of months. One of two Jose Castillo trainees in the four-horse field, Another Tuff Woman is the 4-5 favourite in the first division for fillies with Luke Plano listed to drive while Celebrity Status is the 9-5 choice starting outside six other colts and geldings in the second split for trainer/driver Nick Roland.
Looking at the $7,500 USD Open Handicap Pace, 8-5 favourite A Major Omen has posed for pictures following three of his last five outings for owner/trainer Gerry Longo. The vetern horseman has guided his charge to the first two of those decisions while Luke Plano did the steering in last week’s clash at the head of the class and will be back in the bike on Friday. All three of A Major Omen’s wins have come in coast-to-coast fashion, but he also displayed his versatility when he came from next-to-last to just miss in the Jan. 28 Dave Goldschmidt. The eight-year-old pacer is eyeing his 43rd lifetime tally with more than $430,000 in his bank account.
In the $8,800 USD Open Handicap Trot, Pridecrest is a 12-year-old Ontario-sired son of Angus Hall who is owned by Chris Schick, takes his lessons from Kathie Plested and will once again be handled by Mooney Svendsen. He comes into this assignment with 59 wins from 238 lifetime trips to the post with more than $540,000 in his bank account, and his 1:53.2 mark over this layout is the track record. He won the Joe Lighthill at 14-1 and came right back with an Open score two weeks ago while setting all the fractions. He is the 3-1 second choice, starting outside of favoured Louis from the Darryl Cutting stable with son Jacob set to drive.
Snap Krackle Ntrot makes solid first impression
Last week, Cal Expo carded one of those unique 'trotters vs. pacers' events and the public was right on as the 3-5 trotter Snap Krackle Ntrot got the job done in style, winning in 2:01.2.
A five-year-old daughter of Ariel Salute, Snap Krackle Ntrot carries the banner of Rick Bertand, Vicki Pfeilsticker and Tom Hardenburgh with Bertrand conditioning and James Kennedy doing the honours. It was the first start since November in Chicago for the side-wheeler, but she was well prepared and found a field to her liking for the return.
“We bought her out of the sale in Minnesota as a yearling and she’s got [aged horse track record holder] Claudius Augustus in her bloodlines,” noted Bertrand. “She didn’t race as a two-year-old because it took her a little while to figure things out, but she’s a nice mare to be around in the barn.
“She hasn’t raced much on a mile track, but I think she likes it better than the smaller ones. We gave her some time and she’s come back well.”
Bertrand also noted that he bought a full sister to this mare and you can look for Cocoa Krispies to turn up in the entries down the road. We’ll find out then if she has as much pop as Snap Krackle Ntrot
(With files from Cal Expo)