Sophomore fillies, on both gaits, were featured at Cal Expo on Friday night (May 25) in a pair of season-ending $12,000 California Sires Stakes, in which Diva Las Vegas and Silverlode left no doubt
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In the division for the pacers, driver Steve Wiseman was going to be patient to start off with Diva Las Vegas.
"The plan was to let everyone settle early and play it by ear from there," said Wiseman.
Leaving softly for the pocket from post position two in the field of seven, Wiseman took a look back an eighth past the start while out slightly, but then was back inside right away.
"I just wanted to make sure that everyone settled before I did anything. As for being half out, the only reason for that was because that was the only way I could see that everyone was lined up."
Content in the deuce at the quarter-mile pole, timed in :29, Wiseman knew that was about to change.
"At the quarter I knew I wanted the lead and would be moving shortly."
On the move at the 5/16ths mile station, the filly got the lead to the 7/16ths mile marker into a :57.2 opening half-mile, while pacing her second-quarter split in :28. Did Wiseman use his charge?
"Not really because the wind was at our back. She felt real strong, great as a matter of fact at that point. I thought I had a good shot from there."
Getting the whip shown to her to the five-eighths mile marker, Wiseman got the reaction he wanted as his three-year-old opened up with every stride, soon leading by four and a half lengths at the three-quarter-mile pole, timed in 1:25.3.
"My hopes were to get enough real estate on the rest of the them because I still had the wind at my back. I just showed her the whip a little and she responded very well. With the lead I had at the three-quarters, I thought I had a real good chance from there. In regards to the fractions, even though the middle-half fractions were fast, it was wind-aided and probably not as fast as it will look."
All alone at the head of the lane and soon under wheel-disc urging to the seven-eighths mile juncture, the filly expanded her lead to an insurmountable advantage.
"Every time I asked her, which was to keep her attention down the lane, she kept responding very well and would pace good, strong, and comfortably to the wire, and I didn't urge her much at all."
Owned by Wayne Knittel in partnership with co-breeder and trainer Denise Maier, Diva Las Vegas took the last three spring sires stakes, this one by a trouncing 11-3/4 lengths, winning ($3.40) in 1:55.2, a lifetime best. La Madawna De Rosa (Lemoyne Svendsen) and On The Way Home (James Kennedy) finished in a dead-heat for second.
"She raced very well. It was a very good race for her in the last sires stake of the spring meet," concluded Wiseman.
Sires stakes trotters were in action in a non-wagering mile prior to the betting card, in which Silverlode showed no mercy.
Coming away second from post one in the field of two into a :29.4 opening quarter, driver Steve Desomer, for the third straight sires stakes, made his move at the 5/16ths mile pole and soon had the lead with 9/16ths of a mile to go, all while opening up the lead with every stride into a :59.2 first half. Increasing her lead on the final turn at will, the filly led by 13 lengths at the three-quarter-mile marker, timed in 1:29.4. Then added insult to injury by reporting home by a whopping 43 lengths.
Bred and owned by the Desomer Stables, and trained by Vickie Desomer, Silverlode won in 2:00.2, thus sweeping the four spring Sires Stakes. Once again, California Crush (Sue Boyce) finished in second.
(Cal Expo)