People overeat. It happens. You know, you’re lounging on the couch and those snacks from the cupboard are just calling your name. One thing leads to another, and, well, it’s just game over from there. Given that, it’s hard to scold a racehorse if he essentially does the same thing.
The overindulging racehorse in question is none other than Frankthebank, the 14-year-old Sportsmaster gelding that is still teaching the newbies at Cal Expo a thing or two.
His trainer, George Reider, has spoken with Cal Expo’s publicity arm, and the conditioner explained that ‘Frank’ seriously got his eat on a couple of months back.
“Somehow he got his stall guard down at night,” Reider explained. “I keep a big bag of carrots next to my office and he knows exactly where they are. It was about two-thirds full, and when I came in the next morning the bag was empty and his morning breakfast and the two horses next to his was gone and he was lying down in the stall.
“Most mornings he has seniority and he's the first to go out, but this time he was the last to go out after his big breakfast.”
This summer Frankthebank is headed back to Illinois where he was born.
“I'm pretty sure if he could talk he would be saying ‘going to Chicago is nice for a visit, but I want to retire in California,’” Reider said, with a smile.
A special 12-race card is on tap Friday at Cal Expo. First post is set for 6:15 p.m. Allmyxsliveintexas and Moonstone Beach, who have made clean sweeps of their respective stakes divisions this year for the team of owner/breeders Wayne and Rod Knittel and trainer Bob Johnson, will look to continue their dominance in the two $10,000 California Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacers which are on the card.
An 11-race card will be presented Saturday, with the action starting at 6:15 p.m. My Little Susie, who accounted for the first two stakes dances for the division; and Kissed The Boys, who upset her in the most recent big-money clash two weeks ago, will get another chance to settle the score in the $15,000 California Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotters, which has been carded as Race 2.
There will be no live racing on Easter Sunday. Next week will find a return to the regular Saturday and Sunday programs.
(With files from Cal Expo)