Lloyd Arnold Pace, California Sire Stakes at Cal Expo

The $12,500 Lloyd Arnold Pace headed by the streaking Officer Jim (American Ideal) and a $25,000 Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old males featuring Polar Storm (Wind Me Up) are the main attractions on Friday night’s Cal Expo program.

There will be eight races presented under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post at 7:05 p.m.

Officer Jim is the hottest horse on the grounds as he comes into the Arnold having rattled off eight straight victories.

The 7-year-old has been on an absolute tear this season while making all his recent starts at the Open level for owner Debra McCarthy and trainer Michael Meza.

Mooney Svendsen has been handling the lines in his last three victories, including the most recent two weeks ago when he toured the oval in a sparkling 1:51 flat while establishing a new lifetime standard.

Taking him on Friday are A Major Omen, from the Gerri Longo barn; Handsome Harvey, conditioned by Luke Plano; the Bob Johnson-trained Allmyx’sliventexas and Trey Rockette, who hails from the Jose Castillo shedrow.

Looking at the Sire Stakes, Polar Storm, who is owned and was bred by Alan and Cheryl Sandbulte and trained by Jose Catillo.

After finishing third in the first stakes dance in late March, he did the perfect track-and-attack to account for last week’s clashwith Shawn Thater at the controls while drawing off late by a length and a half in a lifetime 1:54 3/5 mile.

Bettor’s Promise, Pancetta stand test of time

Between them, Bettor’s Promise (Bettor’s Delight) and Pancetta (No Pan Intended) have made 530 starts, and last week they were both seen posing for pictures for owners Richard Morita and David Yamada and trainer Lino Pacheco.

Bettor’s Promise is a 12-year-old who stalked perfectly for Mooney Svendsen while recording victory No. 33 in his 302nd appearance with over $277,000 in the bank.

“He’s certainly been an iron horse for us,” Morita related after the win. “We bought him late in his 3-year-old season and he really came around about a year after that.

“He’s raced and won at Yonkers and won in the Open class at Running Aces. He’s also been in some of the top races over the years, including the Dam Patch and really likes a fifth-eights track.

“At 12, he’s lost a little, but he can still show his class like he did the other night.”

While Bettor’s Promise was a juicy 8-1 in his score on Friday, stablemate Pancetta proved a punctual even-money favorite in his Sunday score with Jessie Pacheco doing the honors.

It was the 48th lifetime tally for Pancetta, who has over $550,000 account and a 1:51 1/5 mark that was set at Pocono Downs. Having celebrated his 14th birthday in January, this will be his last year of racing for the diminutive pacer with the large heart.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness