Cal Expo feature brings out Divine Art

Divine Art (Outrageous Art), fresh from harness racing victories in the Alan Kirschenbaum and Rod Knittel, eyes her fourth straight snapshot in Saturday evening’s $7,500 Filly and Mare Open Pace at Cal Expo.

Ten races are on the Watch and Wager LLC menu with a 6:42 p.m. starting time.

Divine Art is a 6-year-old daughter of Outrageous Art who is owned, trained and driven by Gerry Longo.

Winning streaks are nothing new for this mare, who rattled off 17 straight victories two years ago, most of those scores coming over this layout.

In last week’s Kirschenbaum, Divine Art was dispatched as the 3-5 favorite, sat a stalking trip early and was first over to put away pace-setting Graceful Horizon by a length in a sparkling 1:52 mile.

Graceful Horizon has won half of her 10 starts on the season but has had to settle for two seconds and a third behind Divine Art in her last three trips to the post.

The Vertical Horizon mare carries the banner of Set The Pace Racing LLC with Nick Roland reining and training.

Taking on this dynamic duo are Crazy Cute, Kitty Wampus, Senga Nightmare and Nebble Hanover.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

The Minnesota Kid earns another trophy

The Minnesota Kid continued his dominance among the 3-year-old pacing colts last week with his third straight victory in California Sire Stakes action.

The son of Karpathian Kid is owned by Stephanie Ann Longo, hails from the Jose Castillo barn and has been handled in each of those stakes victories by Luke Plano.

“He’s a very nice colt,” Plano related after the most recent decision. “He’s ultra handy and I can do whatever I want with him.”

The Minnesota Kid has put his versatility on display in those Sire Stakes victories, winning the first in coast-to-coast fashion, the second from well back and making a backstretch brush enroute to his romping tally at most recent asking.

“He was a really nice 2-year-old but got hurt and missed some time,” Plano said. “Jose has done a great job getting him to come back in top form.”

The Minnesota Kid will get one more chance to pick up a trophy at this meet when the final stakes dance for this group comes up in two weeks.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness