by Mark Ratzky, for Cal-Expo Raceway

Sacramento, CA — Friday night’s $8,500 Cal-Expo feature shapes up as a grudge match between Gilbert Herrera’s talented New Zealand mares Vert Et Blanc and Kievline and Steve Wiseman’s hard-knocking Rhiana Seelster.

A field of seven will face starter Bill Vallandingham and most of the tote attention should come on the aforementioned trio. Herrera’s charges took down the top two spots last week, with Rhiana Seelster checking in fifth as the favorite while trying to make an impact from last off moderate fractions.

Vert Et Blanc is an eight-year-old daughter of Holmes Hanover who is owned by Ruben Arreguin and will be handled for the fourth straight time by Lou Pena. Herrera handles Kievline, who he owns in partnership with Gene Clevenger.

Vert Et Blanc has apparently rounded into her best form now after making three appearances following a lengthy vacation. When she showed up for work here on opening week, she was making her initial start since May at Woodbine. She only missed by a head in that comeback try, than had a tough journey at next asking and checked in third behind Rhiana Seelster.

The Down Under pacer was able to put it all together at her most recent asking, however, as Pena left smartly and ended up in the two hole behind Kievline. Vert Et Blanc tracked her barnmate to mid-stretch, then had little trouble motoring by for a two and three-quarter length decision while stopping the timer in 1:55 flat that evening. The bay distaffer is looking to add to a $202,000 bank account and established her excellent career standard of 1:51 two years ago.

The uncoupled Kievline gives the Herrera shedrow another big look at the outcome. A seven-year-old by Kiev Hanover, she won 11 of her 36 tries last season, including her 1:52.4 mark. She has posed following three of her 22 trips to the post this year and is coming off a solid runner-up finish to her stablemate in last week’s top dance for this division.

Sent off at a healthy 6-1 in that last tour, Kievline made a quarter move to the lead for Herrera and was able to show the way to the stretch while Vert Et Blanc tracked her every move. It was no contest when that mare came calling in deep stretch, but Kievline did hold safe narrowly for the place spot over Corky’s Baylor. She figures to be up close and personal once again in Friday’s main event.

Rhiana Seelster is having a great second half of the year for owner Ronnie Wakefield and driver/trainer Steve Wiseman, having reached the circle in four of her last six appearances. She rattled off four straight victories between July 1 and 22, then had a tough first-over trip to kick off this meet on August 12 and had to settle for a close fourth that night.

The five-year-old Camluck offspring returned to her winning ways in the August 19 Invite, as she rode live cover to the lane and then blew by the leaders for a two and a quarter length tally. Dispatched as the 8-5 choice last week with this group, she found herself with too much work to do from the back of the pack with those moderate fractions and was unable to make the needed impact.

Sky’s the limit for this import

Derek Bromac made a solid United States debut at Cal-Expo last weekend, finishing second in the Preferred Pace behind Good Bad Or Best, and Lou Pena is really excited about this New Zealander’s prospects.

“Bobby Gordon picked this horse out through Brian Meale,” Pena explained. “I didn’t see any of his tapes, but his races down there are certainly impressive on paper. He’s got the body of a true athlete, and I guess you’d call him a perfect specimen.”

Derek Bromac gave a preview of things to come in his August 20 qualifier, as he flew home to just miss in a 1:55 practice heat. Off as the 7-5 choice in his first official Stateside outing last Saturday night, he made a huge move to the lead on the final bend but could not quite hold off the winner.

“He was way back in the qualifier, and all I did was let him have his head in the stretch and he gave me a :26 and change final quarter,” Lou said. “I thought his first start was very impressive. We had to go three deep on the last turn and he gave me a real big move.

“When I laid the whip on his back in the stretch, he kind of resented it, but that’s not so unusual with a real good horse. They do their best and all they need from the driver is your voice and the reins. He’s got gigantic ability and I’m expecting some real nice things from him down the road.”

Derek Bromac, who races for Katherine Bardis, is a five-year-old son of Holmes Hanover.

“Whenever I see Holmes Hanover, In The Pocket or Caprock in the pedigree, I have a lot of confidence, because they seem to adjust real well to American racing,” his mentor noted.