Ivegotwhatuneed Headlines The Saturday Marquee At Cal Expo

Ivegotwhatuneed Headlines The Saturday Marquee At Cal Expo
Thursday, March 31, 2011 - by Mark Ratzky, Publicity -- Cal Expo

Ivegotwhatuneed, a six-time winner this season, including three straight at the head of the class, looks to keep the momentum going in Saturday night’s (April 2) headliner for the pacing set.

An 8-year-old son of Givemewhatineed out of the Big Towner mare Maudlin Hanover, Ivegotwhatuneed hails from the Bob Johnson barn, is owned by Johnson and Marty Garey, and will have Lemoyne Svendsen at the controls.

The dark-hued performer comes into this assignment with a hat trick as he looks to add to a $268,000 bank account. He set his 1:52 mark two years ago and is going in razor-sharp form at the moment.

Ivegotwhatuneed kicked off his recent hot skein on March 12 as he parlayed a pocket journey into a head decision over stable-mate Lily’s Hi Ho. Two back he caught a sloppy track and made it look easy as he took over at the half and went on to a three and a quarter length decision.

Catching a track labeled good for his most recent tour, the Johnson trainee proved a punctual 1-5 favorite with Svendsen. He stalked to the stretch, ignited when the question was asked and prevailed by a length over pace-setting Split Ticket in that affair.

The latter is a 7-year-old Bettor’s Delight offspring who has gone a number of big races over this track. Liberio Pacheco conditions for Richard Morita, David Yamada and David Ohara with Luke Plano once again doing the honors. Split Ticket was a 12-time victor last season, including a lifetime-best 1:50 tally over the Indiana Downs oval. Completing the cast are Western So, Red Star Ruffles and Haggin Oaks.

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Claim Jumper, two for two since returning to the wars as a sophomore, looks to keep the streak going in Saturday night’s fifth race for the trotting set. The Desomer Stable homebred will have veteran Steve Desomer at the controls.

A two-time stakes victress last season, the Armbro Variable offspring has looked awfully sharp handling conditioned rivals in her two appearances since coming back from a three-month freshening. Claim Jumper crushed her rivals by five and a half-lengths over a sloppy track two weeks ago, then made the winning move at the midway point in her most recent outing and prevailed by a length and a quarter as the overwhelming favorite.

The big money Sires Stakes action will resume next week and she should be a very tough customer.

Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (March 31) and continues through Saturday (April 2). Post-time on Thursday is 5:30 p.m. (PDT). Post-time on Friday (April 1) & Saturday is 6:00 p.m. On Thursday and every live card, Cal Expo offers free admission, as well as free preferred & general parking after 4:30 p.m. Also on Thursday night from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Cal Expo offers a complete Lasagna dinner, which includes salad and bread, for just $3.00. Additionally on Thursday, beer & wine can be purchased for $3.00 each as well.

On Saturdays, Cal Expo offers a reduced 15 percent takeout rate on both the Early & Late Pick-4 with the Late Pick-4 now having a $15,000 gross guaranteed pool. Additionally, for winning wagers made on the Late Pick-4 online at TwinSpires.com or on track at Cal Expo, a bonus payout of 17.65 percent of the gross Late Pick 4 mutuel payoff will be paid.