For the fourth time in five years, Team West defeated Team East in last weekend’s Amateur Driving Challenge. When all was said and done in the two-night, eight-race event, the West squad had amassed 193 points to 143 for the Eastern invaders.
The West was led by Chris Hernandez, who had 58 points, beating out the East’s Tony Verusso and teammate Robert Stepien, who each had 53 points. These three drivers and Dave Sigel from the Western team each had a pair of victories.
The victorious West quartet was completed by Rick Bertrand, while the Eastern squad was rounded out by Dave Ehrenberg, Kelly Walker and Tom Williams. It was a great series all the way around.
“The East-West Challenge is a wonderful event that really changes the pace for our program,” California Amateur Driving Club President Siegel related. “The races are run quite differently, often with more action, which I think the public likes to see as a variation from our professional drivers.
“We are so very fortunate that we have the support of management and our horsemen to be able to host such an event. There were 29 different trainers who entered 64 horses, without a single scratch. Our appreciation goes out to all who support this annual endeavor."
Pair Of Wednesday Night Programs, $10,000 Handicapping Contest On Tap At Cal-Expo
This month will find two special Wednesday night programs at Cal-Expo, April 21 and 28, and those two cards will feature qualifying rounds for the $10,000 Spring Harness Handicapping Challenge.
There will be no Thursday racing on April 22 and 28, with the trotters and pacers in action on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the month.
The handicapping contest will take place at participating California satellite wagering facilities, racetracks and casinos. Contestants will make selections in seven Cal-Expo races, with the top 25-point earners for each qualifying round earning $100 wagering vouchers.
Those 50 players will then be eligible for the May 7 Spring Harness Handicapping Challenge finale. The final round will find a $2,500 first prize, with $750 for second, $500 for third, $250 for fourth and $100 for the fifth through fourteenth finishers. Participating locations are Golden Gate Fields, San Mateo, Cal-Expo, Stockton, Monterey, Barona, Pleasanton, Los Alamitos, Ventura, Bakersfield, Vallejo, Surfside Del Mar, Santa Rosa, Fairplex, Fresno Fair, Fresno Club One, National Orange Show, Viejas Casino and Turf Club and Commerce Casino. Please contact your local wagering facility for more details.
Looking at tonight’s feature, the Rick Plano-trained pair of Dancing Barry and Hi Ho Steverino square off again in a conditioned affair after finishing one-two in last weekend’s first sire stakes of the season for the three-year-old pacing males.
Dancing Barry is now a three-time stakes victor who carries the banner of Wayne Knittel and will have his trainer in the bike, while Ho Ho Steverino has one trophy on the mantle for Rod Knittel and will be guided by Luke Plano in the main event.
Flying Finish Almost Nets A Stake
Just Plum Lucky went a huge mile in her first stakes attempt last weekend, missing in a photo to One Hot Tamale for owner/breeders Rick and Marlene Thomas, trainer George Reider and pilot Luke Plano.
Not only was it the first sire stakes attempt for the daughter of Power Of Art, it was just the third lifetime trip to the post for the dark-hued filly, thus spotting her rivals quite a bit in the experience department. She was scheduled to suit up tonight, then will return to sire stakes action next weekend with a bit more evening exposure on her resume.
This is the first homebred for Rick and Marlene, who started in the business six years ago with Bernie Wolin. They are best known to this point for campaigning the hard-knocking Frankthebank, who was their very first horse.
“The Thomas’s own Last Chance Ranch just outside of Yosemite National Park and they gave me Just Plum Lucky to start,” related Reider. “She was a late foal and a little on the small side, so we decided to turn her out to grow. We brought her back in and trained her down last fall.”
After a pair of solid qualifiers, Just Plum Lucky got used to things in a couple of maiden events, recording a third and a fourth-place finish, then turned up for last week’s first big-money affair of the year for the sophomore filly pacers and ignited in the late stages to come up a nose short of posting a 10-1 upset.
“We were all thrilled with her effort last week,” George said. “She has grown up to be quite a young lady and we’re all excited to see just how good she is going to be.”
Reider added that he is currently training five horses for Rick and Marlene, including two youngsters. Hopes are definitely high, and Just Plum Lucky has certainly added to the enthusiasm.
Frankyluvsmeatbals Heads Open Pace
Frankyluvsmeatbals, who has captured four of the last five top dances for the pacing set, looks to pick up another snapshot in Saturday’s $6,100 Open Pace.
A five-year-old son of The Panderosa, Frankyluvsmeatbals races for Maryann Plano, is trained by Rick Plano and will have Luke Plano in the sulky. He has $138,000 in his account and established his 1:50.1 career standard two years ago.
The dark-hued performer was the dominating player in the division with three straight Open victories between January 16 and February 13, coming home powerfully on each occasion to win going away. The streak came to an end on March 13, when he sat off a slow pace and was unable to make the needed impact.
Frankyluvsmeatbals got back on the winning track in the most recent Open Pace two weeks ago, as he made what proved to be the wining move at the half and went on to a three and three-quarter lengths score as the odds-on choice in that 1:53.2 tour.
Nittany Linebacker figures to have his share of backers after making his seasonal bow a winning one last week. The Real Desire offspring races for Billie Schwartz, Jim Wilkinson, Jr. and Ads Up Racing Stable with Wilkinson the conditioner and Jim Lackey once again handling the lines.
“The plan is to race him here through April, and then we’ll go from there,” Wilkinson related. "When he’s at the top of his game, I’m convinced he’s as good as any horse on the grounds.”
Completing the line-up are Cowboy Hanover with Rick Plano at the controls; Split Ticket for James Kennedy; and Leave It To Sam, who will have John Chappell guiding from the cozy rail slot.
Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday, April 15 at 5:50 p.m. (PDT), and continues through Saturday, April 17. First-race post time on Friday, April 16 and Saturday is at 5:35 p.m.
(Cal-Expo)