Haggin Oaks, who sports a quartet of stakes trophies on the mantle, makes her 4-year-old debut in Wednesday night’s (April 22) ninth race for driver/trainer James Kennedy.  It will be her first evening appearance since mid-December.
 
The Hi Ho Silverheels offspring races for Shari Burns, Ferris Funk and Gerald Cimini and was something of a milestone for Kennedy, as she was not only his first stakes winner, but also his very first trainee.
 
Haggin Oaks hasn’t started since she caught a sloppy track for the Fall Championship and made a miscue. She prepped for her return with a solid qualifier last Thursday night (April 15), checking in second while coming her last quarter in a snappy :27.3 in that affair.
 
“She’s been back at the track for about two months,” Kennedy related.  “She’s matured and she’s calmer now.  That qualifier was just what she needed, and I have to like her chances on Wednesday.”
 
The stakes outings last season for this talented distaffer certainly resulted in a mixed bag.  Her wins were convincing, while a couple of her setbacks were of the heartbreaking variety due to circumstances that were beyond her control.
 
“She lost her chance in two of the last three stakes races,” her mentor noted.  “In that first November race, she had her legs cut out from under her at the start and was knocked off stride.  That last one in December, we caught a sloppy track and she doesn’t like that at all.”
 
Kennedy is hoping that Haggin Oaks is on the verge of having a great 4-year-old campaign, one that might even result in a trip back East if everything comes together just right.  That road begins in earnest on Wednesday.
 
Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Wednesday (April 21) at 6:00 p.m. (PDT), then continues on Friday (April 23) & Saturday (April 24) after being dark on Thursday (April 22).  Post-times on Friday & Saturday are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PDT).  On Wednesday night, Cal-Expo offers a complete Lasagna dinner, which includes salad and bread, for just $3.00.