Sacramento, CA — Bunkerhill Bill and China King, winners of their respective eliminations last week, head the cast for Saturday night’s (Jan. 25) featured $8,700 Shelly Goudreau final at Cal Expo.

First post for the Watch and Wager LLC 12-race program is 6:10 p.m.

Bunkerhill Bill looks like the Goudreau favorite after posting a coast-to-coast decision last weekend in a snappy 1:53.2. The 9-year-old son of Veracious Hanover is owned by Kimberly, Dave and Rob Haness and George Reider with Reider the conditioner and Dean Magee back at the controls.

After facing tougher competition in his first two starts of 2020, Bunkerhill Bill was dispatched as the 7-5 choice in last week’s Goudreau elimination and made every pole a winning one, holding safe by a half-length over Mystery Dragon. He has the rail for this go-around.

Mystery Dragon sat the pocket journey and was trying hard to end in a solid effort last week. The 6-year-old gelding is owned and trained by Richard Schneider with Nick Roland once again doing the honors.

China King accounted for the other elimination last week and this classy veteran comes into the final with 36 wins, $340,564 in earnings and a 1:50 lifetime standard. Gary and Jennifer Sabot own, Jennifer trains and Luke Plano has the return assignment.

Completing the field are Murder Mystery with Braxten Boyd; Burntisland Billy, Gerry Longo; Ethan Hanover for Jacob Fox; Gene Eugene, James Kennedy; and Jazzmanian Devil, who leaves from the outside slot with Mooney Svendsen guiding.

Welcome USTA members; race honors John Pawlak

Cal Expo welcomes all United States Trotting Association members who are here for the joint USTA/California Harness Horsemen’s Association meeting. The meeting will take place at 11:30 a.m. Sunday in the Cal Expo clubhouse and all members are welcome with a free brunch being offered.

Saturday night’s co-feature is named for John Pawlak, the former USTA Director of Publicity who passed away on Dec. 27 at the age of 71.

Mr. Pawlak joined the USTA in 1985 as the director of publicity. For his work at the USTA, he was well known for both his writing and editing as well as his broadcasting. He retired in 2013.

He was responsible for compiling and editing The Trotting & Pacing Guide, the definitive annual book on North American harness racing and the historical USTA Directors book.

With his television background, Mr. Pawlak was the face of the USTA and led the organization into the age of online video and served as the host of the USTA’s popular “Eye on Harness Racing” series.

Mr. Pawlak was ever present at many harness racing events including the Little Brown Jug, the annual USTA Board of Directors meetings, district meetings and county fairs. He also was known world-wide for his work coordinating the biennial World Driving Championship and the World Trotting Conference.