Sire Stakes, Contentious Pace Head Saturday Cal Expo Program

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Sire Stakes, Contentious Pace Head Saturday Cal Expo Program
Friday, November 25, 2011 - by Mark Ratzky, Publicity -- Cal Expo

Luke Plano A pair of $15,000 California Sire Stakes and a very challenging conditioned pace are scheduled at Cal Expo Saturday (November 26), with the stakes races going as non-betting affairs prior to the regular program.

The $3,600 pacing event will go as the tenth event on the 15-race program. Despite landing the difficult outside post in the field of nine, Cycle Power figures to have his share of backers after racing at the winners-over level in all six starts at this meeting.

A 5-year-old son of Cambest who is owned and trained by Nathalie Tremblay and will have James Kennedy in the sulky, Cycle Power came off the bench on September 24 to post a 7-1 upset to kick off his fall campaign. While he’s had to settle for minor awards in the interim, he gets some class relief for Saturday’s assignment and his main concern figures to be the No. 9 slot.

Shamderock is looking to continue his clean sweep of the big-money events in the pacing Sire Stakes, while Im So Sulky looks to add another trophy to the case and is the one to beat in the trotting end.

Shamderock is a homebred son of Hi Ho Silverheels who carries the banner of D&E Racing Inc. with Luke Plano driving and training. He has captured all 10 added-money races for his division and has now reached the $100,000 earnings plateau with a 1:52 mark that was set this summer at Vernon Downs.

Im So Sulky has established himself as the leader of the 3-year-old trotting colts with two dominating stakes scores at this meeting. Alan Anderson owns, trains and bred this Armbro Variable offspring and Steve Wiseman will again handle the lines.

Live racing resumes on Friday (November 25) and Saturday (November 26) at 6:00 p.m. (PST). On Friday and every live card, Cal Expo offers free parking & free admission after 4:30 p.m. Also on Friday, Cal Expo offers Happy Hour between 6:00-8:30 p.m., where $2 Beer, $2 Wine & $2 Buffalo Wings an order is offered.

Cal Expo now offers a reduced 15 percent takeout rate on all Pick 4’s (Thursday/Friday nights in partnership with the USTA Strategic Wagering Committee). In addition, all Late Pick 4’s will come with a $10,000-guaranteed pool. On Saturday night, there will be a 0% takeout on successful Late Pick 4 tickets made at Cal Expo or at Twinspires.com.