by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal Expo Harness

Sacramento, CA — When he guided Bloomfieldcantifly to an $18 upset last Saturday night at Cal Expo, Chip Lackey was recording victory No. 3,400 in the sulky while adding to more than $15 million in earnings in the process.

The veteran pilot was back in the winner’s circle the following night, this time after guiding Its Not Over to a coast-to-coast score in the Open Trot for his longtime collaborator Bob Johnson. It was the second straight tally at the top rung for that performer.

“I drove Its Not Over a few times as a 2-year-old and won a couple of Sire Stakes, but this meet was the first time I’d driven him since then,” Lackey related. “I know they gave him plenty of time off last year and he needed his first start here after coming back from Hoosier.”

Its Not Over was fourth in that outing, but has since scored back-to-back victories in the Open under Lackey’s direction, on both occasions taking the measure of heavily-favored El Azteca.

“Watching his two wins at Hoosier, it looked like he was best when he was covered up and then could kick home. That’s the way I drove him in the first win here and he gave me a real nice brush.”

Lackey changed tactics in the most recent gathering at the head of the trotting class, buzzing Its Not Over away from there and making every pole a winning one. He repulsed a strong first-over bid from El Azteca that night to prevail by 1-1/4 lengths.

“Silence Son was off the gate to my inside, and El Azteca was off it to my outside, so with both of those horses lagging I decided to let my horse roll out of there,” Lackey explained. “I got a pretty easy lead, and when El Azteca came up to us and turned it into a sprint for home, I was pretty confident.

“It’s also very special to drive this horse for the owners, Rich Dryden and Debbie Budahn. My mother passed away two months ago, and they were responsible for giving her some of the best memories of the last few years.”

Its Not Over and El Azteca get another chance to settle the score in Sunday evening’s featured Open Trot.

An 11-race card is on tap with first post set for 4:40 p.m. The trotters and pacers are now in action on Saturday and Sunday nights, with Friday racing being added to the schedule beginning on Dec. 26.