An Open Trot that brings out All Champy and Lous Lancelot and the first $20,000 USD California Sire Stakes for the three-year-old pacing fillies share the spotlight Saturday, Feb. 22 on at Cal Expo.
There will be 10 races conducted under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with things getting underway at 6:35 p.m. (PST)
Looking at the Sire Stakes, DM Magic Player figures to have a major say as she takes on her peers this weekend.
She is a daughter of Aracache Hanover races for Qks Racing, takes her lessons from Quentin Schneider and will have Aaron Lehman back at the controls. Also winless, the brown miss has been knocking on the door in her five starts at this meet and looms large in this cast.
In the co-feature, Lous Lancelot is a six-year-old son of Lous Legacy who is owned by Elliot Gorov, takes his lessons from Chip Lackey and will once again have Luke Plano in the sulky.
He has accounted for a pair of Opens this season, prevailing on the front end over a good track on Jan. 3 and then being moved up to the victory by the stewards on the disqualification of Pridecrest two weeks ago.
All Champy had a brutal trip in that aforementioned Feb. 8 top dance for the trotters and will be looking for some revenge this weekend. The Steve Chambers-owned, Kathie Plested-trained veteran had captured his previous three appearances, including the Joe Lighthill.
Low takeout wagers offer great value
A reminder there is a reduced 16 percent takeout rate on all 20-cent Pick 4s and 20-cent Pick 5s at Cal Expo, with a $20,000-guaranteed gross pool on the early Pick 5 and a $25,000-guaranteed pool on the late Pick 4.
To get an idea on the value offered, look at last Friday night’s Pick 5, which turned out to be a mix of logical winners and a couple of bombs and returned a sweet $5,406 for each winning 20-cent ticket.
The sequence got off to an explosive start when Quite The Flirt rode the rail for James Kennedy to capture the opener at 31-1, followed by a pair of chalks in Reagan Blue Chip ($2.40) and Zach Maguire ($4.80).
Nonversation came flying when it counted for Rene Goulet to post a 17-1 upset in the penultimate event, with Celebrity Status making it two wins in a row at $8.20 to round out the sequence.
Free past performances for the early Pick 5 and late Pick 4 are available at handicapping.ustrotting.com.
(Cal Expo)