When Fear Factor got the job done in last Sunday’s second race at Cal Expo, Wendi Wiener admits it was like getting a jump start on her love of harness racing.
The six-year-old son of Always A Virgin, who is co-owned by Wendi and trainer Nathalie Tremblay, was making his first appearance on the year with Nick Roland guiding him to the two and a quarter-length score.
“Since my husband Stu passed, I’ve just been racing our homebreds, and after Lilbitofmama retired I really though I was done,” Wendi related. “It just didn’t feel the same anymore. We know racing is in our blood and we just can’t quit, but I felt I would.”
Weiner then fast forwards to just about a year ago, when she got a call from Tremblay. “Nat called and said she found a horse she thinks she can improve on. We’ve been partners on many horses, but at that time it felt different and I still wasn’t sure.”
Wendi eventually gave Tremblay the green light and Fear Factor, or 'Joe' as the pacer has been nicknamed, became part of the barn.
“Nat did a hell of a job figuring him out, and that win the other night woke up my heart. I was screaming and yelling and there were tears of happiness at the wire. I honestly didn’t know if I would ever get that feeling back.
“I want to thank the horse, Nat, Stretchie and Nick Roland for getting me excited about racing again.”
Believe In Dragons, Allmyxsliventexas head Cal Expo bill
A $10,000 California Sire Stakes featuring Believe In Dragons and an Open Pace that finds Allmyxsliventexas in search of yet another victory are the highlights on Sunday night’s Cal Expo.
The Sire Stakes goes as the fourth event and the Open Pace is the eighth contest on the 12-race Watch and Wager LLC card. First post is 4:50 p.m.
Believe In Dragons is a son of Custard The Dragon who races for Lorne Duffield and Rodney Hennessey, takes his lessons from Quentin Schneider and will once again have the services of Cordarius Stewart.
After getting a nice prep in a qualifier on February 14, Believe In Dragons made his seasonal debut a week later in the first stakes clash of the year for this group. He was dispatched as the 8-5 second choice while doing his work from the rail slot.
Stewart sat a chilly third with Believe In Dragons through the early stages, then came first-over to press the issue and dug in gamely through the drive to prevail by a head over a fast-closing Im A Magic Man.
The latter is a Mystician homebred who carries the banner of Richard Schneider, hails from the Ariel Alvarez barn and has Jake Cutting back in the sulky. He got going late from the middle of the track to just miss in his debut.
Taking them on Sunday are Arnies Army, So Watch Me Now, Lodi Phillip and Chase The Gold.
Meanwhile, Allmyxsliventexas is strictly the one to beat once again in the co-featured Open Pace as he leaves from the assigned No. 10 post position in the field of six for his owner/breeders Wayne and Rod Knittel, trainer Bob Johnson and driver Nick Roland.
(Cal Expo)