by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — He was coming off a gigantic mile, but was taking a class rise to face the best on the grounds, and although Ohoka Razed N would cross under the wire second, he’d get his picture taken as the result of a placing.

Open I Handicap pacers, racing for a $9,000 purse, were in the spotlight at Cal-Expo on Saturday night (June 2), in which Ohoka Razed N, with lady luck on his side, won his second in a row.

In advance of starting from post position one in the field of five, part owner and trainer/ driver Lou Pena was realistic about his chances.

“I thought my chances were just okay because he was moving up to face a tougher bunch,” said Pena. “My plans were to leave a little bit and try to keep up with the pace.”

With the race just barely a sixteenth-plus of a mile old, unexpected confusion occurred when Wilder Echo (Gilbert Herrera), while on the lead and about to move in along the pylons, jumped an object on the track and broke briefly.

“Wilder Echo kind of made a surprising break, which caught Keystone Eli and Rick Kuebler, who were in front of me, off guard — which caused Keystone Eli to make a wild break, which in turn caught me off guard. Luckily, I was able to avoid it and was happy to follow Wilder Echo.”

Inheriting second as the field had just entered the first turn, but about to be third past the quarter-mile pole as I Am So Glad (Rich Wojcio) was brushing up, Ohoka Razed would find himself 2-1/4 lengths back at the opening marker, timed in :29, all while Pena’s thoughts hadn’t changed.

“I just wanted to keep my ground.”

Gapping 2-1/2 lengths to the 5-16th-mile pole as I Am So Glad was about to take over the lead, Pena had reason to not be happy.

“My horse wasn’t traveling too well — he was rough-gaited — and I was having to manage him to avoid him going off-stride. At the 7-16th-mile pole though, he smoothened out, for which I can’t explain why, and thus stopped gapping and was on the helmet of Gilbert (Herrera).”

Racing in third and keeping up at the half-mile pole, timed in :57.1, Pena was right to the point.

“At the half, I was just hoping to get a good check.”

With the pace slowing up in the third quarter, Pena wasn’t minding it.

“I thought the pace slowing up would help me because I thought my horse wouldn’t get rough again. But, as it turns out, he got ‘rumpy’ on me. Rumpy being a combination of rough and bumpy, and it did concern me a little bit because I needed for him to stay on stride to get a check.”

Remaining unhurried while 2-3/4 lengths back at the three-quarter pole, timed in 1:26.3, Pena still hadn’t changed his opinion.

“I still only thought my chances to win were just okay.”

Following Wilder Echo to the outside in the upper stretch while under urging, Pena was now looking for a tow.

“At that point, I was just hoping that Wilder Echo would lead me up for second. My horse was closing enough, but Wilder Echo’s stride was a little more efficient than mine. I was just trying to hold my ground while trying to get second — but I never gave any thought or consideration to the disqualification possibility.”

Although Wilder Echo would stop the timer at 1:54.2 while two lengths ahead of Ohoka Razed N, he’d get disqualified from first and placed fifth for causing interference while on a break to Keystone Eli, who in turn caused interference to the trailing three horses.

Owned by Greg Robinson, Dave Siegel, and Bob Thronson, all in partnership with Pena, Ohoka Razed N would finish a half-length ahead of the fast closing The Pand Illusion (Rick Plano), who was placed from third to second.

“My luck was superb and my horse raced excellent, given my luck,” Pena concluded.

In an Open Handicap 2 pace for a purse of $7,000, Love Shark was much the best.

Owned by Mary Ann Plano, who had an owning triple, and trained by Rick Plano, who had a training triple and four driving wins on the card, their son, Luke, would guide the gelding to a 2-1/4 length front-end victory, in 1:52.2, a seasonal best. Jordan’s Planet (Tim Maier) finished in second, and Little Stevie (Gilbert Herrera) finished another 2-1/2 lengths farther back in third.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Wednesday, June 6, continuing through Saturday. Post time on Wednesday and Thursday is at 5:35 p.m. (PDT). Post time on Friday and Saturday is at 6:15 p.m. On Wednesday, fans can wager into the $25,000 guaranteed Bal-Cal Pick 4 Challenge. Also on Wednesday, admission is free, plus Cal-Expo offers a complete Lasagna dinner, with salad and bread, for just $2.00.

Cal-Expo now offers guaranteed $10,000 pools on all Pick-4’s!