Sacramento, CA — Allmyx’sliventexas and Heza Real Diamond, who have been putting on some great battles at the head of the class, get another chance to settle the score in Friday night’s (Jan. 31) featured $6,700 Open Pace at Cal Expo.

A 12-race card is on tap with first post set for 6:10 p.m. The headliner goes as the fourth contest on the evening with Allmyx’sliventexas leaving from the No. 9 slot and Heza Real Diamond from the 10 post in the field of six.

Allmyx’sliventexas is a 7-year-old son of Hi Ho Silverheel’s who is owned and was bred by Wayne and Rod Knittel, takes his lessons from Bob Johnson and once again has Mooney Svendsen giving directions. The hard-hitting bay performer comes into this assignment with 36 wins from his 116 trips to the post with $210,733 in his bank account and a 1:50 career standard that was established two years ago at Hoosier Park.

Allmyx’sliventexas has posed for pictures following two of the last three top dances for the division, including last week when he sat the pocket behind Heza Real Diamond and was up by a nostril in a 1:50.2 tour.

Heza Real Diamond is having a great meet with three snapshots from the last five starts for owner Orlando Nevarez and trainer Edwin Quevedo and Nick Roland will have a return assignment in the sulky.

The Nevarez colorbearer has traded decisions with Allmyx’sliventexas in his last two starts, and on both occasions the horse who sat the two-hole behind the pacesetter has surged to get the victory in the final strides.

Mr Varsity, Part Time, King Of The Crop and Fox Valley Hoss complete the field.

Key Word sparks low takeout wager

There are two wagers offered here each night that come with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate — the 20-cent Pick-5 and 20-cent Pick-4 — and taking a look at last Saturday’s Pick-5 is a good example of the value added.

Despite the sequence featuring winners that were 6-5, 7-5 and a pair of 2-1 shots, you toss in an 11-1 shot to kick off the proceedings and there is a nice $134.10 payoff for each correct 20-cent investment.

Key Word was the catalyst in the evening’s opener for veteran owner/driver/trainer Gerry Longo, as the 9-year-old pacer did the perfect track-and-attack from a cozy rail draw to pick up his first snapshot of the season.

In the night’s third race it was Allmyx’sliventexas for the Knittel/Johnson/Svendsen team returning to his winning ways in the Open Pace, hanging a nose decision on arch-rival Heza Real Diamond after being collared by that rival in their previous meeting.

That was followed by another dynamite performance by Alwaysalittlemore in the Filly and Mare Open as this gal seems to have really found her stride for owners Maria Alvarez and Terrence Smith, trainer Edwin Hernandez and pilot Luke Plano.

The Pick-5 was rounded out by Bunkerhill Bill’s virtual coast-to-coast tally in the Shelly Goudreau final. The 9-year-old Michigan-bred goes about his business for the Haness Family and co-owner/trainer George Reider and has found a great partner in driver Dean Magee.

By the way, the Pick-4 comes with a $40,000 guaranteed gross pool on Saturdays and a $30,000 pool on Fridays. Jump right in, the water’s fine.