Alan Horowitz Memorial at Cal Expo Sunday

The $20,000 Alan Horowitz Memorial for pacers is the main event Sunday evening at Cal Expo Harness and it comes up one of the most contentious races of the meet, with last week’s second leg winners Hay Hay Alright and Western Devil among the major harness racing players.

Watch and Wager LLC has carded 12 races Sunday with first post set for 4:55 p.m.

Next week will see special Saturday and Sunday night cards, January 1 and 2.

Hay Hay Alright comes into the Horowitz having posed for pictures following two of his last three outings for his owner/trainer/driver Ryan Grundy. Overall, the 6-year-old son of Vertical Horizon will be looking for his 22nd victory from 104 lifetime trips to the post.

Sent off at 7-2 last week while leaving from the outside post in one of two leg 2 divisions, Hay Hay Alright sat back early for Grundy as is his custom. He exploded when tipped very wide off the final bend and swept past the leaders for a length and quarter score with the 1:55 1/5 clocking being just a tick off his career standard.

Western Devil also got the job done while leaving from the outside slot in his division, returning $55 while driver/trainer Nick Roland guiding the Cathy Dessert color bearer to a neck decision over even-money favorite Gear Upn Go Moe.

The latter was an impressive winner in the first leg and was coming on nicely at the end last week to just miss.

The 10-year-old goes about his business for John Schwartz and Kyle Husted, takes his lessons from Quentin Schneider and James Jungquist will guide.

Completing the cast are Frisky Pedro, Northbrook Ron, Fox Valley Hoss, Dancin Lance, Paddy Murphy, Villa for Rent, Machet Time and also-eligible Fox Valley Triton.

Silverhill Volo, Mandeville put on quite a show

Last Sunday night’s featured Trot saw the veteran trotters Silverhill Volo and Mandeville putting on a great stretch battle, with the former holding safe by a nose over Mandeville.

Silverhill Volo and Mandeville, age 10 and 9, respectively, weren’t the only members of their team eligible for the senior discount at the Sizzler.

Silverhill Volo is owned, trained and was driven by 69-year-old Chip Lackey, while Mandeville is owned, trained and was reined by 76-year-old Longo. By the way, Longo’s next win will be No. 3,000 in his six-decade career.

Mooney Svendsen, who is just 63, rounded things out while guiding the 7-year-old Jesse’s Student to his third-place finish in the contest. A tip of the cap to all involved.

Sunday’s Alan Horowitz Memorial is named for a major force in California harness racing and a member of the California Harness Horsemen’s Association (CHHA) Hall of Fame, who passed away in 2017 at age 72.

He wore many hats in the business after starting out as a partner with longtime friends Don and Barbara Arnstine and Steve Desomer with a popular $25,000 claimer named Quaker Byrd. Moving on, Alan would eventually become a board member and president of CHHA.

In 1994, Alan Horowitz was instrumental in bringing harness racing back to Cal Expo in the form of Capitol Racing and was also its successful general manager. He was serving as Executive Secretary of the CHHA at the time of his retirement and continued to stay in touch with the sport that he loved so much.

By Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness