by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — The amateur pilots and working-class pacing distaffers will be up front and center starting Saturday night (July 11) in the first leg of the TVG Amateur Driving Series at Cal-Expo.

While last month’s series was for the males, this time around it will be limited to the distaffers. The elimination legs over the next two Saturdays carry a purse of $2,500, while the July 25 finale is estimated to be in the $8,000 range. The first week finds the performers offered for base claiming prices of $3,000, with base prices of $3,500 for the second week and no claiming for the final.

“The ‘boys’ series was a great success with large fields, including 10 in the finale, large purses and a nice $8,400 finale,” said California Amateur Driver Club president David Siegel. “The amateur drivers are all appreciative of the trainers who supported the series, and I appreciate the thanks a few of you passed along for our contributing to the purse pool through our sponsor, TVG.”

I Go Blind sees the light

Last week saw the 3-year-old filly I Go Blind put it all together in her fourth start for owners Don and Barbara Arnstine and trainer Greig Watson, as she did the track-and-attack to perfection with Gilbert Herrera in a 1:57.3 tour.

The Kent’s On Nuke distaffer was taken out of a $4,000 seller in her first local appearance since arriving from British Columbia back in late May, and after a period of adjustment, she’s now starting to look like a shrewd purchase.

“Barbara picked her out, and when we watched her during her warm-up and saw she was big and strong, we decided to take a shot,” Watson related. “She was coming out of a stakes race at Fraser where she had an outside post and we were looking for a young horse who had conditions.”

I Go Blind was odds-on in her initial try under the Arnstine banner, but weakened after showing the way to deep stretch. An outside slot hurt her at next asking, then there was a three-week break followed by a needed mile and then last week’s 1-1/4 length score.

“She was still short in that first start for us and she was also not very well-gaited,” her trainer noted. “The second race she had the outside and was rank, and after that we decided to take her to school and also did some re-rigging and changes to her shoeing.

“She obviously needed the first start back, and then we were very pleasantly surprised with her win the other night. It looks like the changes we made and the boot camp have paid off. I want to give credit to my blacksmith, Al Sleva, Jr., who has done a great job with her. With this filly, it’s all about her gait, and once she gets straightened out I think she can do some real good.”

Obert’s passion leads to the sulky

For John Obert, a love of horses from the time he was a teenager led to the trotters and pacers some 13 years ago.

“Because of the size requirements, being a jockey was out of the question,” said the 40-year-old Los Angeles native. “Harness racing really appealed to me because of all the different aspects. You could be an owner, driver and trainer, all at the same time.”

Obert originally went to work as a groom for Keith Wiley, learning about the game from the ground up. He eventually assisted trainers Don Ratchford and Wayne Short.

“I got my Q license in 2000, but it wasn’t easy to get enough of those qualifying drives to get my P license, which came in 2005,” he related. “I have to thank Wayne for giving me the majority of those qualifiers, and I worked closely with him until he left for New York last year.”

While opportunities in the sulky have been limited for Obert, he has landed in the winner’s circle some 13 times as an owner, and in 2001 he plied his trade as a trainer in Alberta while racing at Northlands Park and Stampede Park.

“I stayed there until it just got too cold,” he explained.

Racing gets Jerry Cisco pumped

Jerry Cisco, who will be competing in this weekend’s Amateur Driving series, admits he has a fiercely competitive nature that has led him to both harness racing and car racing.

“I joked to my wife recently that if they had a doctor who could remove your competitive bone, things would be a lot easier,” said the 33-year-old Rancho Cordova native with a broad smile.

Jerry’s parents have been involved in one way or another in this sport for nearly 25 years, and his younger brother Scott has been a well-known driver for quite some time.

“I guess I was about 10 when my father bought his first horse, and I was jogging on the farm a couple of years later. They used to have races with harness ponies at Greenbriar Farm, and I guess you could say I won my first race when I was 12.”

In addition to guiding the trotters and pacers, Cisco has been able to put his competitiveness to work in auto racing.

“Three years ago we won a California sprint car championship and I’m very proud of that. I’ve been away from the cars for a bit, but once the economy improves, I plan to go back.”

In the meantime, Jerry works a regular 40-hour a week job and spends racing nights and weekends here at Cal-Expo.

“I really enjoy it, and there’s never been a point that I ever strayed too far away from the horses.”