Special Monday program at Cal Expo

Princessofthedawn (Mystician), who has rattled off three straight wins at this harness racing meet in impressive fashion, looks to keep it rolling in Monday night’s (Dec. 26) $13,500 Funicello/Holt Final for the pacing fillies and mares.

Watch and Wager will present a 14-race card Monday with first post set for 4:55 p.m. and the program will also feature the second leg of the Alan Horowitz and an Open II Pace.

Princessofthedawn is a 3-year-old filly who is owned by Rick Cisco and Tamara Wainscott, takes her lessons from Cisco and will once again have Rene Goulet in the sulk.

They will be leaving from the seven post in the field of eight.

The bay miss was winless in 10 starts when she came down from Canada for this meet but has done nothing but win in a trio of appearances here. She started the hat trick with a track-and-attack graduation on November 25, then used coast-to-coast tactics in her December 9 score.

Sent off the 6-5 choice in last week’s Funicello/Holt Prep, she was unhurried early for Goulet, was out to make her move on the final bend and finished up in :27 4/5 to seal the deal by a length and three-quarters.

Taking her on Monday are Sassy Libby, Ain’t She Special, Cenalta Flash, Say It All Sport, Bluebird Affection, In A Daze and Bekkums Fancy Star

Daryl Thiessen is making himself right at home

Daryl Thiessen is one of the new additions to the driver’s room here and so far, so good according to the 32-year-old Manitoba native.

Daryl spent almost 10 years as a rodeo professional before finding himself attracted to the trotters and pacers and switching from the saddle to the sulky four years ago in Ontario.

The last year and a half have been a testing one for Thiessen, beginning with a serious accident in May of last year at Century Downs in Alberta that took him out of action for two months.

He’s also had three different surgeries in the last year which have forced him to stop and go when it comes to competing.

“I drove in Florida last year and spent this summer in New Jersey, and I was looking for a mile track with a lighter schedule,” Daryl explained. “Cal Expo checked both those boxes.”

“I was actually here for two and a half months in 2018 working as a groom. I’ve known Ryan Grundy since we were kids, I grew up pretty close to Kelly Crump and I’ve become good friends with Kathie Plested.”

Thiessen, who has had his picture taken after 6 of his first 41 drives at the meet, plans to stay through the end of this session in April. “I was a little rusty when I first got here, but everything seems to be coming together now,” he related.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness