Top Californians in action Saturday

The $12,500 DHA Free-For-All Pace headed by Firenado (Mystician); an $8,800 Open Trot featuring Mandeville (Majestic Son) and an $8,000 Open Pace with Dancin Lance (Always A Virgin) share the harness racing spotlight Saturday night (Feb. 11) at Cal Expo.

Watch and Wager LLC will present 13 races with a first post for the Saturday program is 5:45 p.m.

Looking at the Open Trot, Mandeville is fresh from an 8-1 upset at the head of the class and figures to get more respect this time around as he does his work from the outside post in the field of eight.

The last three Open Trots have seen three different winners, with track record holder Pridecrest prevailing on December 16, while it was Silverhill Volo getting his picture taken on January 20 and Mandeville getting the job done last week.

An 11-year-old, Mandeville is owned, trained and driven by Gerry Longo and comes into this assignment with 52 wins from his 215 trips to the post, with $432,000 in the bank and a 1:54 career standard.

In last week’s top dance, Longo left with this sidewheeler from the No. 4 post in the field of eight, yielded past the quarter, was back out again to challenge into the final bend and came home powerfully for the three and a quarter-length decision.

Silverhill Volo had to settle for second that night for owner/driver/trainer Chip Lackey but was a dominating winner in his previous mile, while Pridecrest began the meet in super fashion with wins in the Joe Lighthill and an Open and is always dangerous with his best mile for owner Chris Schick, trainer Kathie Plested and pilot Mooney Svendsen.

Wiseman victory special one for Svendsen

Announcer Gary Seibel seized on the moment when Unfiltered hit the wire on top in last weekend’s Steve Wiseman Pace, knowing how special the victory was to driver Mooney Svendsen.

“Vigorously raising his whip to the sky at the wire, I could tell how ecstatic Mooney was to win the race named in honor of his dearly departed best friend,” Seibel related after the race.

“Mooney and Stevie had a special bond. They were like brothers, and I was thrilled he was the one to win it.”

Racing for QKs Racing and trained by Quentin Schneider, Unfiltered (Always A Virgin) was the odds-on choice in the Wiseman, making it 18 victories from his 35 trips to the post with the 1:51 4/5 tour being the fastest mile of the meet and a new mark.

The 5-year-old will be gunning for the hat trick when he suits up in Saturday night’s Open Pace, leaving from the rail with Mel Mullet while taking on the likes of Dancin Lance, Major Offense and A Major Omen.

Dancin Lance be looking to win three in a row for owner Juan Pacheco, trainer Leon Smith and pilot Sean Smithpeters.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness