This month will find two special Wednesday night programs at Cal-Expo, April 21 and 28, and those two cards will feature qualifying rounds for the $10,000 Spring Harness Handicapping Challenge.
 
There will be no Thursday racing on April 22 and 28, with the trotters and pacers in action on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the month.
 
The Handicapping contest will take place at participating California satellite wagering facilities, racetracks and casinos.  Contestants will make selections in seven Cal-Expo races, with the top 25-point earners for each qualifying round earning $100 wagering vouchers.
 
Those 50 players will then be eligible for the May 7 Spring Harness Handicapping Challenge finale.  hat final round will find a $2,500 first prize, with $750 for second, $500 for third, $250 for fourth and $100 for the fifth through fourteenth finishers.
Participating locations are Golden Gate Fields, San Mateo, Cal-Expo, Stockton, Monterey, Barona, Pleasanton, Los Alamitos, Ventura, Bakersfield, Vallejo, Surfside Del Mar, Santa Rosa, Fairplex, Fresno Fair, Fresno Club One, National Orange Show, Viejas Casino and Turf Club and Commerce Casino.  Please contact your local wagering facility for more details.
 
Looking at Thursday night’s feature (April 15), the Rick Plano-trained pair of Dancing Barry and Hi Ho Steverino square off again in a conditioned affair after finishing one-two in last weekend’s first Sire Stakes of the season for the 3-year-old pacing males.
 
Dancing Barry is now a three-time stakes victor who carries the banner of Wayne Knittel and will have his trainer in the bike, while Ho Ho Steverino has one trophy on the mantle for Rod Knittel and will be guided by Luke Plano in the main event.