It was apparently worth the wait with the four-year-old pacer This Dog Wont Hunt, who made his belated debut last weekend at Cal Expo and came from out of the clouds to win going away as the even-money choice.
A four-year-old son of Voracious Hanover who is owned by Mark Anderson and hails from the Gordie Graham barn, This Dog Wont Hunt was some double digits off the early pace for James Kennedy, then circled rivals with a rush turning for home to post the two and a quarter-length decision to the delight of the chalkplayers.
The dark-hued performer showed signs of having ability here last spring, turning in a pair of sharp qualifiers with Kennedy at the controls, then was scratched from a race in late May at Running Aces and didn’t surface again officially until a February 1 qualifier here that he won going away without urging.
After being scratched from a February 9 race here, he finally got to the races last Saturday night and did not disappoint his many backers with the impressive come-from-behind score that saw him hit the wire in 1:57.3
This Dog Wont Hunt was scheduled to make his second trip to the post on Friday night, and it will be interesting to see just how much impact this pacer came make as he attempts to climb up the ladder.
A reminder there are two wagers offered here each night that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate – the 50-cent Pick 5 on the first five events and the 20-cent Pick 4.
The Pick 4 comes attached with a $30,000-guaranteed gross pool on Fridays and a $40,000 guarantee on Sundays.
Plano pair loom large in featured Pace
The Luke Plano-trained duo of Magnifique and Legio X Equestris should have a big say in Saturday night’s main event, a $6,000 Open II contest for pacing fillies and mares.
The headliner will go as the 10th contest on an 11-race program under the Watch and Wager LLC banner and things will get underway at 6:10 p.m.
Plano will be guiding Magnifique, who is owned by Nikki Hudson and will leave from the outside post in the field of seven, while Legio X Equestris is campaigned by David Shell and will have the services of Ryan Grundy from the No. 2 slot.
Magnifique is an eight-year-old daughter of Tell All who is coming off a runner-up effort behind favoured Bettor Lady under these same conditions last week after making a strong move by the quarter and showing the way to deep stretch.
She recorded her most recent victory in a conditioned affair on March 1, riding live to cover to a three and a quarter-length tally, and has come back with a third-place finish behind Capitol Hill in the March 9 Open and last week’s exacta completion.
Legio X Equestris is a five-year-old Roll With Joe mare who is coming off an eye-catching 1:53.3 score last week and looks ready to climb right back up the class ladder. She was a 1:52 victress at Pocono last season.
Rounding out the field are Delightfully Wild from the Lino Pacheco barn; the Kathie Plested-trained pair of Totally Racy and Outragesoudelightn; Along Came Jane from the Jessie Pacheco shedrow; and the Gerry Longo reined-and-trained Rush And A Brush.
(Cal Expo)