Pacers dominate trotters… in an upset?

Imagine a harness racing contest where three trotters face off against three pacers, with one of the trotters going off as the favorite. In race two at Cal Expo on Friday night (Dec. 27), it actually happened on the track.

The three trotters drew from the inside trio of posts and TSS Hot House drew the rail. Combine post advantage with perennial Cal Expo leading driver Luke Plano and the betting public favored the trotter to beat the three pacers (and other two trotters). He closed as the slight 9 to 5 favorite over pacer Image Of A Beach (Rockin Image, James Lackey) who went off at 2 to 1.

One might assume without even looking at a program that the pacers might dominate, and in this case that assumption would be correct.

The pacers would fire out to immediately and they would take the top three spots by the time they reached the opening quarter with Story Book (Winter Asher-Stalbaum) leading through a tepid :30.3 opening frame. Image Of A Beach was riding the pocket and the third pacer in the field, Ticket To Roll (Jacob Cutting) was third, but on the move.

At that point, TSS Hot House was racing fourth, three lengths in arrears followed by fellow square gaiters Hocho Al Trot (Brett Erickson) and Sparkplug Sparky (Justin Van Otterloo).

Ticket To Roll assumed command before reaching the 1:00.1 half and he continued to lead through the three quarters in 1:30.2. Story Book sat the pocket and Image Of A Beach had started a first-over move. It was becoming apparent at this point that none of the trotters would threaten to pass any pacers.

Lackey drove away in the lane with Image Of A Beach, beating Ticket To Roll by 2 1/4 lengths. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Story Book in third. TSS Hot House was the closest trotter, but he was beaten by 14 lengths. Sparkplug Sparky finished fifth, beaten 17 lengths and Hocho Al Trot broke in the stretch and was distanced.