Three year-old colts and geldings, on both the trot and pace, were featured at Cal Expo on Saturday (April 28) in a pair of $12,000 California Sires Stakes
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In the first division, this for the trotters in a non-wagering event held before the betting card, driver Luke Plano had a handful to deal with an eighth of a mile past the start after leaving from post three in the field of five with Rite After Disbeer.
"When I had him in tight quarters going into the turn and tried to get him ducked into the hole he wouldn't go for it because he had horses on both sides of him and as a result was pretty rank," stated Plano. "So I opted for Plan B, which was to head to the front, which was more to his liking."
Moving forward after 3/16ths of a mile with cover into a :30.1 opening quarter, the sophomore was left first over a good ways past the 5/16ths mile pole before clearing to the lead just past the 7/16ths mile marker. Was the lead tough?
"I don't know if it was overly tough, but I did use him a little. Ironically, when I stopped fighting with him when I decided to go to the front he stopped fighting with me. Then he became a little bit lazy and a bit green so I just kind of eased him to the front, but he was travelling good and comfortably."
Having reached the top, Plano slowed the pace down to the half-mile juncture, timed in 1:01.3, or did he?
"As far as the pace slowing, he kind of did it himself, but we were going into a bit of a head wind. Once he made the lead, he basically was trotting greenly, but I still thought he'd be good from there...but I was still thinking that I didn't know how good he'd be on the front because now he wasn't following anybody."
With the field midway through the final turn, Plano encouraged his trotter via two minor wheel-disc urges.
"He felt good when I asked him and I thought he had plenty of trot, but I didn't know if he knew how to fight somebody off if they came to him so I kept after him.”
Leading by two and three-quarter lengths to the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:33.2, Rite After Disbeer soon opened up a little more with less than 3/16ths of a mile to go.
"Through the stretch and all the way through the wire, he was solid and responded to me showing him the whip and a few wheel-discs just to keep his attention, but I never really had any doubts all the way."
Bred and owned by Mary Harris, and trained by Kennedy Lindsey, the son of New Age Outlaw-Judis Jewel wouldn't be caught while four lengths to the good at the wire in a final time of 2:02, a lifetime mark. Loose Cannon (Steve Wiseman) finished in second and Lees Persuader (Scott Cisco) finished nearly seven lengths farther back in third.
"He's a real nice colt that raced very well and obviously will get better with experience. He's a pleasure to drive," finished Plano.
In the wagering feature for the pacers, Desomer Stables' Bee Gee (Steve Wiseman) was placed first ($13). Bloom N Doom (Jim Lackey) finished 29-1/4 lengths back in third, but was placed second, and Artability (Alberto Pacheco) finished in fourth, but was also placed up, thus closing off the trifecta. Favourite Ra Ra Steven (Rich Wojcio) finished in first by three lengths in 1:58.4, but was disqualified by the stewards and placed sixth and last after interfering with Looks Dont Count (James Kennedy) on the final turn.
(With files from Cal Expo)