No Complications takes Cal-Expo feature
March 20, 2004,from Cal-Expo Raceway
Sacramento, CA — Conditioned trotters held the spotlight on Friday night, March 19, at Cal-Expo.
It was an interesting mix of seven square-gaiters from three groups: EJ, Pan Chip, and Hedaman are geldings; Always Quick Speed and No Complications are mares; Armbro Variable and Armbro Scribe are studs.
Pan Chip was stepping up in class and going for his fifth win in a row, Armbro Variable and Hedaman had won their previous races, and both EJ and Always Quick Speed raced second in their last races.
No Complications was sent off odds-on regardless of racing third last out, and the wagering public knew what they were doing as the mare wired the field in 1:562.
Gilbert Garcia rushed her out of the gate from the five hole and got to the pylons before hitting the first bend. Rick Kuebler followed that move with Always Quick Speed and those two took the pocket. EJ settled third and Pan Chip raced fourth.
After the :293 opener Pan Chip was gapping badly and he broke stride with nine-sixteenths left to trot. Richard Wojcio moved Armbro Variable up and closed the gap just past the :59 second half.
Just before the 1:281 three-quarters Todd Ratchford tipped EJ out of third and came first over, but could not close any ground on the mare. Armbro Variable followed EJ second over and powered on by the latter in deep stretch and finished second with an impressive stretch drive. EJ wound up third.
Ruben Arreguin owns the winner and Garcia also trains her. She is a big, brave Garland Lobell five-year-old out of Caffe Latte, she by Sir Taurus. This was her third win in four starts this year. She has now earned just under $181,000 life.