California Sire Stakes highlight Cal Expo program

A $20,000 California Sire Stakes for 4-year-old mares that brings out Stevies Girl (Wind Me Up) and Made Of Mischief and an Open Pace headed by A Major Omen are highlights on Sunday’s Cal Expo program.

Watch and Wager LLC is presenting 11 races with things getting underway at 5 p.m.

Stevies Girl was bred by Barbara Arnstine, and she co-owns with Steve Chambers and trainer Kathie Plested.

She will be making her first appearance since competing in the $65,000 Championship at Running Aces in mid-September and had a sharp qualifier here last week with Mooney Svendsen.

Made Of Mischief is also making her first start since that September 16 contest at Running Aces for owner/breeder Lanae Hernandez and trainer Bob Johnson with Luke Plano at the controls.

She looked to be in need of qualifying mile and should be very much at home with this group.

Completing the field are a pair from the Rene Goulet barn in Cenalta Token and Cenalta Memories, the Bevan Perriton-trained Chandon and Hot N Fancy, who takes her lessons from Emilio Cisneros.

Looking at the Open Pace, A Major Omen just missed to Heavens Gona Rock in last week’s Dave Goldschmidt Free-For-All and gets top billing for owner/driver/trainer Gerry Longo.

Allmyx’sliventexas was a game third in the Goldschmidt while Major Offense and Dancin Lance both have Open scores to their credit at this meet and Reagan Blue Chip rounds out the cast.

Heavens Gona Rock scores for Team Cutting

Heavens Gona Rock (Pet Rock) picked a good time to go his biggest mile of the meet, flying home to get the job done in last weekend’s Dave Goldschmidt Free-For-All Pace.

The 5-year-old is owned and driven by Jake Cutting with his father Darryl doing the training.

Heavens Gona Rock closed out 2023 with a conditioned score here but had to set for third-place finish in his two attempts at the Open level while being fanned extremely wide to the stretch on both of those occasions in solid outings.

He found himself last of the seven turning for home in the Goldschmidt, but exploded around rivals to the lane and was up by a half-length over favored A Major Omen, who he had followed to the drive.

Jake is currently holding a double-digit advantage in the driver’s race while his dad has one of the best batting averages among the conditioners, making them a lethal pair.

A reminder that next week will find the trotters and pacers in action on Friday and Saturday night, with no racing on Super Bowl Sunday.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness