Allmyxsliventexas, a winner of 10 of his 11 starts at this meet, looms the overwhelming favourite in Saturday night’s featured $10,000 Donald Arnstine Pace at Cal Expo.
Watch and Wager LLC will present 12 races beginning at 5:20 and the main event will go as the eighth event of the evening. The Arnstine is limited to performers who are Diamond Horse Alliance eligible.
Allmyxsliventexas is an eight-year-old homebred son of Hi Ho Silverheels and the Distinguishedbaron mare Annie Get Your Gun who carries the banner of Wayne and Rod Knittel, takes his lessons from Bob Johnson and will have have Nick Roland guiding from the rail slot.
He comes into this assignment with 49 wins from his 144 lifetime trips to the post and sports a 1:50 career standard that was established three years ago at Hoosier Park.
Allmyxsliventexas is eyeing his sixth straight victory in the Arnstine, with the last pair coming from the demanding No. 10 position. He was parked a long way to the lead in the most recent excursion from the stranded slot and prevailed by a measured head at the 3-5 favourite.
Taking him on this weekend are Hi Ho Julio, Frewil Dakota Sven, Contemporay Legend, Its Pointless and Mystery Dragon.
Race honours memory of Donald Arnstine
Saturday’s feature is named for longtime owner and industry activist Donald Arnstine, who passed away last September at age 85.
He and his wife Barbara were involved in harness racing for five decades, claiming their first horse, Big Time, in 1973 with the Desomer Stable. Over the next several years they campaigned many stars from that barn, including Quaker Byrd.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Donald Arnstine was active in the Western Standardbred Association, now known as the California Harness Horsemen’s Association.
He served as president of the organization in 1978, overseeing the legislation that created the state’s sire stakes program, and he also helped negotiate horsemen’s agreements with Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Bay Meadows and Cal Expo.
After a hiatus, the Arnstines joined the Gilbert Herrera stable in a highly successful partnership that eventually expanded to the East Coast and included such top performers as Little Walter, Giveittomestraight, Fortunista and Yonkers track record holder Theartofconfusion A.
After Herrera relocated, the Arnstines joined the Steve Wiseman/Kathie Plested stable and raced the likes of Party Hangover Two, Nutmegs Desire and state champion King of The Crop. Barbara Arnstine continues to campaign performers with the Plested barn.
While Donald Arnstine had a full and successful life in academia, including a long and accomplished university teaching career and author, his passion was always his wife of 56 years, his children, his grandchildren and harness racing.
(Cal Expo)