Cal Expo’s best in spotlight on Friday

A pair of $20,000 California Sires Stakes; an Open Pace featuring A Major Omen (Art Major) and an Open Trot that brings out Pridecrest (Angus Hall) share the spotlight Friday evening at Cal Expo.

There will be 10 races decided under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post at 6:45 p.m.

The two Sire Stakes give the 3-year-olds their first chance at the big money and it will be interesting to see how they sort themselves out over the next couple of months.

Looking at the Open Pace, A Major Omen has posed for pictures following three of his last five outings for owner/trainer Gerry Longo, He’s guided his charge to the first two of those decisions while Luke Plano did the steering in last week’s clash at the head of the class and is back in the bike Friday.

All three of A Major Omen’s wins have come in coast-to-coast fashion, but he also displayed his versatility when he came from next-to-last to just miss in the January 28 Dave Goldschmidt. He’s eyeing his 43rd lifetime tally with $430,000 in his bank account.

In the Open Trot, Pridecrest is a 12-year-old who is owned by Chris Schick, takes his lessons from Kathie Plested and will once again be handled by Mooney Svendsen.

He comes into this assignment with 59 wins from 238 lifetime trips to the post with $524,000 in his bank account and his 1:53 2/5 mark over this layout is the track record. He won the Joe Lighthill at 14-1 and came right back with an Open score two weeks ago while setting all the fractions.

Snap Krackle NTrot makes solid first impression

Last week Cal Expo carding one of those unique trotters vs. pacers events and the public was right on as the 3-5 trotter Snap Krackle Ntrot (Ariel Salute) got the job done in style.

A 5-year-old mare, Snap Krackle N Trot carries the banner of Rick Bertand, Vicki Pfeilsticker and Tom Hardenburgh with Bertrand conditioning and James Kennedy doing the honors.

It was the first start since November in Chicago for the sidewheeler, but she was well prepared and found a field to her liking for the return.

“We bought her out of the sale in Minnesota as a yearling and she’s got (aged horse track record holder) Claudius Augustus in her bloodlines,” Bertrand noted.

“She didn’t race as a 2-year-old because it took her a little while to figure things out, but she’s a nice mare to be around in the barn.

“She hasn’t raced much on a mile track, but I think she likes it better than the smaller ones. We gave her some time and she’s come back well.”

Rick also noted that he bought a full sister to this mare, and you can look for Cocoa Krispies to turn up in the entries down the road.

We’ll find out then if she has as much pop as Snap Krackle NTrot

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo