Sue Boyce knew she had her work cut out when Big Guy Two Win landed the demanding 10 post for last weekend’s finale of the TVG Amateur Driver series, but it all worked out in the end for the Martha Olivas-owned, Dario Solares-trained pacer.
 
Despite dueling for the lead while being parked a good portion of the mile, Big Guy Two Win was able to get some separation once straightened for home, then had enough left to hold off a charging Mighty Fella and Rick Bertrand to register his seventh and biggest win of the year.
 
“The race never goes like you imagine, but you try to envision different scenarios going in,” Boyce related.  “I was thinking about speed in the first quarter, which other horses would be leaving along with the driver for those horses, and then the horses that figured to be closing best in the mile.”
 
Sue found herself head-and-head for command while outside longshot Chomp and Stomp for the first half, with fractions of :28.4 and :57.4 to that point, then got to the inside and the lead on the final bend while now being hooked by Nightscreamer.  Big Guy Two Win was actually able to open up a little over a length with an eighth to go, giving everything he had to last over the favorite.
 
“Once I could not get to the top easily, I tried not to push the pace,” Boyce explained.
 
That strategy worked, with the third quarter just a tick under 30 seconds and a :29 final panel by the son of Towner’s Big Guy sealing the deal in an extremely game 1:56.3 tour.
 
 
Last Saturday night also saw upsets in three of the four $25,000 Championship events for the sophomore trotters and pacers.  So Relentless was the only favorite who was able to get the job done, as Gordie Graham’s trainee made every pole a winning one to add another stakes victory to her resume with John Chappell giving directions.
 
The biggest surprise of the evening came in the colt trot, where 1-5 Franks Best made a break while in command down the lane and opened the door for stable-mate Online Charger to pick up not only his first trophy, but also the first career victory for Steve Wiseman in the rich contest.
 
Alan Kirschenbaum’s homebred Amigo De Garcia likewise earned his first stakes tally in a mild upset for driver/trainer Tim Maier among the pacing males, while last year’s trotting queen Betty Elizabeth returned to her winning ways in a romp for owner/breeder/trainer Lisa Pilcher and driver Gilbert Herrera.
 
Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday (May 27) and continues through Saturday (May 29).  Post-time on Thursday & Friday (May 28) is at 6:00 p.m. (PDT).  Post-time on Saturday is at 5:50 p.m.  On Thursday night, Cal-Expo offers a complete Lasagna dinner, which includes salad and bread, for just $3.00.