by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Harness racing returns to Cal Expo Friday night (August 26) with Got The Giggles and Ivegotwhatuneed heading the cast in the $4,500 main event for pacers. The feature goes as the seventh on the 10-race card.

The revised schedule finds the trotters and pacers in action on Friday and Saturday nights until October 6, when the racing week will expand to Thursday, Friday and Saturday programs. The meeting will run through December 17.

Got The Giggles is a 10-year-old daughter of Grinfromeartoear out of the Big Towner mare One I Love who is owned and trained by Robley Johnson and will have Dave Siegel giving directions from the one hole.

The veteran mare has returned to greet her connections in the winner’s circle following seven of her 21 trips to the post this year, including a coast-to-coast victory on closing week of the previous meet. In that June 10 score, she set the pace without pressure and came home in a sparkling :26.4 to seal the deal.

To show her readiness, Got The Giggles was extremely impressive in making every pole a winning one in a qualifying race last weekend with Siegel at the controls. The Johnson color-bearer waltzed home by 18 lengths in that 1:56.3 tour while coming another :26 and change final quarter in the process.

Ivegotwhatuneed looms the main threat as the 8-year-old son of Givemewhatineed has gone a number of powerful miles over this layout, with $275,000 in his account and a 1:52 lifetime standard. Bob Johnson trains and also co-owns with Marty Garey. Like Got The Giggles, he had a useful qualifying tally last week.

Completing the cast are Stanza for driver-trainer Steve Wiseman; Myra’s Hi Ho, who gives the Johnson barn two looks at the outcome; Western So from the David Merrick barn with Scott Cisco guiding; and the Nathalie Tremblay-trained Arch Nemeses with James Kennedy at the controls.

Live racing starts back up at Cal Expo on Friday (August 26) and continues on Saturday (August 27). Post times are 6 p.m. (PDT).