by Scott Ehrlich, Publicity — Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — One of them had to come from way back, the other one simply needed to not fall down, but no matter how you look at it both Shamderock and Lodi Nickolus were California Sires Stakes winners.
A pair of non-betting $15,000 California Sires Stakes for sophomore boys were contested at Cal Expo on Saturday night (May 7) prior to the wagering card, on which Shamderock made it six in a row and Lodi Nickolus certainly had lady-luck on his side.
Starting off with the pacers, Shamderock came away fourth for trainer Rick Plano from post-position four in the field of six into a :29.4 opening quarter. With the field now three-eighths of a mile into the race, Plano had an early choice to make when Tim Maier moved No Strings first-over.
“When Timmy pulled he kind of surprised me and I didn’t know whether I wanted to follow him or not because No Strings isn’t a very good gaited horse,” stated Plano. “So I decided to wait for him to fall in front of Live A Little (Luke Plano) – – who was kind of gapping.”
Sitting last at the half-mile juncture, timed in wind-aided :58.1, Plano made a visual observation.
“When I looked up and saw that I was pretty far back, I figured I’d better get going.”
Still in reserve at the five-eighths mile marker, Plano knew he could wait no longer as Lemoyne Svendsen was gassing the pace-setting Spoons, who thus opened up his lead.
“I thought going into the race that I could win at anytime, but when I looked up at the five-eighths and saw Spoons was that far ahead, I asked my horse and got after him and he responded.”
Gaining with momentum midway through the final-turn, then advancing with very good momentum at the three-quarter mile pole (1:26), but still 5-3/4 lengths off the lead, was Plano concerned given his pacer was uncovered in a speedy :27.4 third-quarter?
“He wasn’t tired and I felt I could never lose, but when you look up and see the lead that Spoons had, you say ‘What the heck!'”
With the field now at the top of the lane and Shamderock now just three-lengths away, Plano went for another gear.
“I pulled the earplugs at the top of the stretch and he took off and was pacing as fast as a horse can go.”
Continuing to march forward, the gelding eventually collared Spoons with a sixteenth of a mile to go and drew clear late while never urged much while closing in very impressive fashion.
“He actually caught Spoons pretty easily.”
Bred & owned by D & E Racing, the son of Hi Ho Silverwheels won by 2-1/4 lengths, in 1:54.3, a lifetime best. A perfectly driven Spoons raced great, but had to settle for being second best, and Achy Breaky Art (Steve Wiseman) finished a distant third, another 15-3/4 lengths farther back.
“He overcame a not so great drive and raced extremely well,” finished Plano.
On the trotting side, Lodi Nickolus got the lead early from post-two in the field of four for co-owner/trainer Pierre Girard with only Haveadrink On Me (Rick Plano) chasing him as Final Chapter (Rich Wojcio) & Im So Sulky (Steve Wiseman) made breaks well before the start. Cutting out fractions of :32.1 & 1:02.1 while on an open lead in the second-quarter, the lead for the colt expanded in the third quarter to 11 lengths by the time he hit the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:33. Now approaching the head of the stretch all by himself, the deal got sealed, not that it needed to be, when Haveadrink On Me broke just past the three-quarter mile pole.
Bred by co-owner Mary Harris, the son of New Age Hanover went on to score by 32-3/4 lengths, in 2:04.4. Final Chapter came back to finish in second, and Im So Sulky finished another 4-1/4 lengths farther back, in third.