A perfect trip combined with the big favourite coming up short off a 35-day layoff worked out well for Putoneonnetformom.
Open 1 Handicap trotters, racing for a purse of $6,100, were featured at Cal-Expo on Friday night (April 16), on which Putoneonenetformom was the pocket-rocket upsetter.
Prior to starting from post five in the field of seven, trainer Rocky Stidham thought things could work his way.
"I liked my post and I like that Easter Call (Steve Wiseman) was assigned the seven-hole because I figured he would leave and with luck I'd be able to get a two-hole trip," stated Stidham. "I thought my chances were good IF I got the two-hole behind Easter Call."
Leaving sharply and getting the lead as the field entered the first-turn, Stidham pushed the pace before yielding to Easter Call after 3-16ths of a mile into a :29 opening quarter. Did Stidham use his horse and/or soften up the 1-2 favourite?
"I don't feel that I used my horse that much, but it was possible Easter Call got used a little."
The good news now was that Putoneonnetformom was getting a perfect trip. The bad news is that Easter Call got down to the half in :59.2, and to the three-quarter mile pole, timed in 1:29.3, plus Wiseman was sitting chilly with a quarter of a mile to go when he popped the earplugs of his charge.
"I knew that Easter Call had gotten easy fractions and I knew it would be a sprint home. I, however, still liked my chances, but I also knew it would a bit tougher to catch him and I wasn't as comfortable as I was at the quarter-pole because of the soft middle-half."
Free and on the move with less than 3-16ths of a mile to go, Stidham had a good "feeling."
"When I popped out of the pocket I knew I was going by because I could feel it -- I had a lot of horse and he swelled up. My fear at that point was that a big closer could catch me."
Gaining at the seven-eighths mile pole with Easter Call now in deep water, the gelding took over the lead with a sixteenth of a mile to go.
"When he took the lead, he was very calm and relaxed and responded to my urging and just trotted strong the last sixteenth of a mile and through the wire. As a matter of fact, he was very confident himself."
Drawing clear to the wire, the six year-old won ($10.00) by 2-1/4-lengths, in 1:58.3. Easter Call lasted to be second, and Jam And Jelly (Luke Plano) finished just a neck farther back, in third.
"It was a very, very good race for him and for owners Jeff, Gerald, and Diana Cimini, as this was their first Open 1 win," finished Stidham.
On the Friday night card, leading driver Luke Plano had five driving wins, giving him nine triumphs over the last two nights. Additionally on the card in the third race, driver Tom Parris recorded his first driving victory with K D Nicol. The significance of the win is emphasized by the fact that Parris will be celebrating his 77th birthday on April 26.
Live harness racing continues at Cal-Expo on Saturday (April 17) at 5:35 p.m. (PDT).
(Cal-Expo)