by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — After her last two starts, Whip And A Prayer is due for a little luck, and the timing couldn’t be much better than this Friday’s (Nov. 5) third round of California Sire Stakes for the 2-year-old pacing fillies.

Gordie Graham conditions the Frank Nevarez homebred daughter of Hi Ho Silverheel’s with Rich Wojcio the regular pilot, and despite the fact she is still seeking her first victory after five appearances, she has established herself as one of the major players in the divisions.

In the most recent stakes clash two weeks ago, Whip And A Prayer came from well back to be a solid runner-up to Hi Fidelity while coming a snappy final quarter, then last week looked to be in a good spot for a snapshot but lost her chance with an early miscue.

“That last stakes race was a real good effort from her,” Graham related. “She had to come a long way and that :28.1 last quarter was impressive. Because of her style, she’s at the mercy of the early pace, but she always tries hard.”

Whip And A Prayer was strongly backed at the windows last week when she dropped into a maiden affair, but things quickly went south soon after the start when she made a break, eventually recovering to finish fourth in that affair.

“I’m just guessing that the track was too hard for her, and there were quite a few horses who made uncharacteristic breaks that night. It was nobody’s fault, because they were expecting rain and tightened it up.”

Graham feels his charge will make her biggest impact when next season rolls around and it’s sophomore stakes time.

“She’s small, and I’m looking for her to fill out between now and next spring and really come into her own,” he noted.

Sire Stakes on Friday at Cal-Expo

A pair of $15,000 California Sire Stakes for the freshman pacing and trotting fillies hold the spotlight at Cal-Expo Friday night (Nov. 5).

Hi Fidelity is the big gun in the pacing stakes. She is a homebred daughter of Hi Ho Silverheel’s and the No Nukes mare Sharps N Flats who carries the banner of Wayne Knittel and Laurette Odney with Rick Plano doing the driving and training.

The bay miss earned her graduation papers at first asking on September 30, then was dispatched as the 2-5 favorite in the first stakes event of the season. She had to settle for second, however, as Racetrack Diva posted the 16-1 surprise that evening.

Two weeks later, Hi Fidelity got her revenge in the most recent Sire Stakes for the pacing fillies. Plano shot right to the lead with his charge, was about to carve out the fractions without challenge and came to the wire with two lengths to spare in a 1:57.4 performance.

Whip And A Prayer was a close fourth in that first big-money gathering and then finished a game second behind Hi Fidelity in the other and looms a major player.

Racetrack Diva is the other stakes victress as she looped the field in the aforementioned Oct. 8 upset for owners Robert Bacon and Denise Maier, trainer Tim Maier and pilot Steve Wiseman. Completing the field are the entry of Moximum (Scott Cisco) and Diamond Player (Luke Plano), giving the Plano barn two more looks at the outcome; Poorlittlerichgirl (Tim Maier) and Ally Chandon (David Siegel).

The trotting stakes will go as a non-betting event prior to the regular program and Claimjumper and Thatssomebracciola have picked up the first two trophies of the season. Steve Desomer handles the former and Rick Plano guides Thatssomebracciola from the outside slot. Dancergirl, Eggwhite Inmy Beer and Dancinwiththedevil round out the cast.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday (Nov. 4) and continues through Saturday (Nov. 6). Post time on Thursday is at 6 p.m. (PDT). Approximate post time on Friday (Nov. 5) and Saturday is 5:45 p.m.