Co-feature pacing events at Cal Expo

Nebble Hanover (Well Said), a beaten favorite in her two efforts off the bench; and Major Offense (Art Major) who is making his first appearance in over a month, may rate the slight edge in Friday night’s harness racing co-features for pacers at Cal Expo Harness.

There will be 10 races conducted under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with the action getting underway at 6:45 p.m.

Nebble Hanover is a 5-year-old mare who is owned, trained and driven by Chip Lackey and may be set her best mile while making her third outing since being away since January.

The Lackey representative was even-money in her first try off the bench two weeks ago but never got into the hunt, then was parked to the lead in a sizzling :55 4/5 half in her last trip to the post and paid the price in the stretch.

In the co-feature, Major Offense would appear to be the class of the field but will have to overcome five weeks without a race. The gelding goes about his business for Barbara Arnstine, Steve Chambers and Kathie Plested with Plested the conditioner and Mooney Svendsen doing the honors.

This guy has been mixing it up with the best pacers on the grounds this season and will be hard to deny with this group if he’s ready for anything near his best mile.

Looking ahead to Sunday, a pair of $20,000 Sire Stakes for the 4-year-olds will hold center stage with Divine Art and Give Me This Dance renewing their rivalry in the distaff event while Worthy Opponent and JP Jetty loom large among the males.

Dougsmonkeybusines, Plano team for a trophy

Dougsmonkeybusines (Wind Me Up) is one of the hottest horses on the grounds with four straight trips to the winner’s circle, including a victory in last week’s Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old pacing males.

The homebred races for Doug Flores and Rick Bertrand, is conditioned by Bertrand and has been handled in his last trio by Luke Plano.

“He’s a real nice colt and getting better all the time,” Plano related after last week’s trophy earner where he tracked the pace-setting Polar Storm, attacked in the stretch and prevailed by a head over the ironically named Lukes Proclamation.

Dougsmonkeybusines was winless in 10 starts last season but has really come into his own at this meet with Bertrand doing the honors in his first win of the streak and Luke picking up the lines for the most recent scores.

“He was green last year in Minnesota and a bit hard to steer, but Rick gave him some time to grow up and now he handles with no problem like an older horse,” Luke said.

Plano appears to be on his way to adding another leading driver plaque to his mantle as he holds a 10-length lead over Mooney Svendsen going into the final eight cards of the meet.

“I’ve got more of my own horses here than I’ve had before and I’ve also been fortunate to get some very live catch drives,” he noted.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo