Aint She Special, fresh from going coast-to-coast in last Sunday night’s Filly and Mare Open, headlines Friday evening’s main event at Cal Expo for fillies and mares, a $6,000 USD conditioned pace.
There will be nine races presented under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 6:45 p.m.
Aint She Special is a five-year-old daughter of American Ideal out of the Camluck mare Im Just Special who is owned by Dave Haness and trainer/driver Luke Plano. She comes into this assignment having posed for pictures following 17 of her 54 trips to the post with more than $80,000 in her bank account and a 1:52 mark that was established last year at Running Aces.
Sent off at 4-1 in last week’s clash at the top rung, Aint She Special motored right to the top from the No. 2 post, was able to carve out the fractions without challenge and held sway by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.4 over Give Me This Dance and Graceful Horizon.
Aint She Special is the 2-1 morning line favourite from post eight in the fifth race. Taking her on Friday, from the rail out, are Starzznstripes, Wild Blue Wonder, Velocity McSweets, Divine Art, Wish I Had Thyme, Change Colors and Crazy Cute.
Looking ahead to Sunday night’s 10-race card that gets underway at 5:05 p.m., A Major Omen will gun for his third straight victory at the head of the class in the $8,000 USD Open Pace. Plano will guide the razor-sharp performer from post nine for owner/trainer Gerry Longo.
California Sire Stakes for sophomores underway
The California Sire Stakes action for the three-year-old pacers kicked off last week with Celebrity Status and Another Tuff Woman picking up trophies after wins in their respective $27,027 divisions.
Another Tuff Woman left little doubt as to her dominance among the fillies as she romped to her first career win in 1:58.4 over a 'good' track by 17 lengths with Plano guiding for owner/breeders Alan and Cheryl Sandbulte and trainer Jose Castillo.
Celebrity Status was likewise impressive among the males as he rallied off cover to the stretch for a maiden-breaking victory in 1:59.1 as the 3-5 choice for Set The Pace Racing LLC and driver/trainer Nick Roland.
A total of $420,000 USD is up for grabs among the three and four-year-old pacers in the Sire Stakes at this meet with a pair of $50,000 USD Championship events set for closing night, May 3.
Going into this week’s action, Jake Cutting has opened a daylight lead in the driver standings with 55 victories to 40 for Plano and 39 for James Kennedy.
Things are much tighter among the trainers, however, as Plano and Roland are tied at the top with 23 victories, while Darryl Cutting and Longo are close behind with 20 snapshots while Kathie Plested and Castillo are next with 18 and 17 scores, respectively.
(With files from Cal Expo)