Mares vs. males in Cal Expo feature

Three top mares and six tough geldings are set to square off in the main harness racing event at Cal Expo Saturday night, a $6,500 Open III contest for the pacers.The headliner goes as the opener on a nine-race card under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with things getting underway at 6:35 p.m.

Among the mares, Ain’t She Special (American Ideal), Wavzeka (Art’s Chip) and Graceful Horizon (Vertical Horizon) have each won a Distaff Open and leave from the 3, 4 and 5 posts, respectively.

Graceful Horizon accounted for last week’s top dance for the pacing mares, proving a punctual 4-5 favorite for Set The Pace Racing LLC and driver/trainer Nick Roland.

Wavzeka scored two powerful scores to kick off the meet, including the December 20 Open in coast-to-coast fashion, before sitting out the last weeks.

Maria Ramirez owns the 5-year-old with Ariel Alvarez the conditioner and Sean Smithpeters has the assignment.

Ain’t She Special picked up an Open tally with a strong surge two weeks ago and checked in third behind Graceful Horizon at most recent asking after setting much of the pace.

She races for Dave Haness and Luke Plano with Luke doing the driving and training.

Sign Of The Times is on a roll

Sign Of The Times (Special Forces) has found a new home at Cal Expo, rattling off four wins in a row to start the meet.

After posting three straight double-digit victories, Sign Of The Times completed the four-bagger in last week’s Will Meyers final as the 1-5 favorite with Mooney Svendsen at the controls.

A 5-year-old Minnesota-bred, Sign Of The Times is conditioned by Rick Bertrand, who co-owns with Ashlee Glader.

“He’s a race nice horse to be around and a favorite of his caretaker Irma Delacruz,” Bertrand noted after the Meyers score. “He was suggested to me by a friend, Al McDonald, who noticed him when he was racing in a Minnesota-bred Consolation at Running Aces.

“I ended up buying him along with first-time owner Ashlee, who is really enjoying the experience and being around the horses.

“Sign Of The Times fits the barn perfectly and he fits the DHA program here at Cal Expo. I also think the mile track is perfect for him and Mooney has gotten along with him great.”

With the Will Meyers on his mantle, Bertrand is looking forward to more success with his streaking performer, noting the Steve Wiseman at the end of the month is on his schedule.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness