Popeye Prevails Without Spinach At Cal Expo

Popeye Prevails Without Spinach At Cal Expo
Sunday, June 5, 2011 - by Scott Ehrlich, Publicity – Cal Expo

Knowing the opposition resulted in a change of plans that worked "perfect" for Red Star Popeye.

A field of four reduced from six as a result of two key scratches, three of them in for a tag, one in on a condition, were featured at Cal Expo over a sloppy oval on Saturday night for a purse of $3,400, on which Red Star Popeye won in game fashion.

In advance of starting from post three, driver Lemoyne Svendsen did his homework and called a pre-race audible.

"I got to studying the program a little bit after I knew Haggin Oaks (6-5 morning-line favorite) and Stanza were scratched and I changed my battle plan," said Svendsen. "Being that I've driven both Doit By The Clock (Gene Vallandingham) and Satire (Luke Plano), I knew how they'd be on tonight’s type of track condition - - and that's when I changed my strategy from ducking off the gate to leaving a little bit. If it worked out the way I thought it would - - I had a real good chance."

Moderately leaving and getting into the two-hole just after an eighth of a mile, Svendsen was quite content with the pocket into a :29.4 opening quarter and a :59.3 first-half. With the field now on the final turn, Svendsen took a look back at the five-eighths mile pole and again to the midway point of the final bend. For whom was he looking for?

"I was looking for Satire because I knew Doit By The Clock wouldn't be coming yet and I didn't want Satire to get too close because I needed those extra lengths."

Remaining patient in the pocket with Satire racing first-over and gaining, Svendsen was ready to step on the gas.

"I knew it was going to be a drag race because the fractions, for those horses, were slow. He felt fine and I knew I had a shot."

Popping out of the pocket late in the final-turn and right into gear, Mother-Nature briefly announced her presence.

"He came out of the hole real strong, but the headwind in the stretch was so strong that it actually blew my horse and Western So (Scott Cisco) out around 2-1/2-wide."

Taking a slight lead with an eighth of a mile to go, Svendsen chose not to go to whip urging, and had good reason.

"When we straightened out, my horse and Western So were all-out and it felt to me like my horse was pretty much wide open and going all he could. Based off that, I felt if I hit him that he might go backward versus forward - - which is why I hand drove him."

Under line-lifting while the pace-setting Western So was fighting back, Red Star Popeye wouldn't be denied.

"He paced on all the way to the wire and I never was concerned."

Claimed out of a $2,500 claiming race on May 20 by the lovely Lisa Ehrlich, the Bob Johnson trained gelding, off a perfect trip, won ($9.40) by a nose, in 1:57.2. Western So fought hard while finishing in second, and Satire finished a length farther back, in third.

"He raced well and I still don't know what kind of a horse he is," concluded Svendsen.

Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (June 9) and continues through Saturday (June 11). Post-time on Thursday is 5:30 p.m. (PDT). Post-time on Friday (June 10) & 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 Thursdays, Cal Expo offers the Late Pick-4 with a $10,000 guaranteed pool. The wager will be conducted on races six through nine. Further, the takeout for the Late Pick-4 will be lowered to 15 percent, as it will also be on the Early Pick-4.

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.