by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — The second leg of the Bronte Epilepsy Research Foundation Amateur Series and a pair of $15,000 California Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old pacing and trotting colts are on tap at Cal Expo on Saturday night (Oct. 29).
The amateur series is being sponsored by Lou Pena and some of his owners. Between their generosity and the driver fees, a total of $7,000 beyond the purse monies will go to the Bronte Foundation. In addition, driver George Brennan has pledged an additional donation that will significantly augment that figure.
There is one event for males and one for distaffers, going in two divisions each. The first leg of the series found the pacers sporting $3,000 base claiming prices, while they will have $4,500 claiming tags this time around. The top eight purse earners from each group will compete in next week’s respective $10,000 finales and there will be no claiming in that affair.
Last week’s opening leg saw Dave Siegel accounting for three of the four races, capturing both contests for the males with Rude Awakening and Serious Art and one of the distaff events with OG’s Si Bon. Amanda Fraser guided the other mare victress in Incredible Gambler.
The amateur drivers that are members of the California Amateur Driving Club are vying for a spot on the West team for the 2012 East-West challenge that will be held next spring.
Four of the series’ pacers changed hands via the claiming box, including the aforementioned Serious Art, who was taken after a six-way shake. Also claimed were Kamoda’s Fantasy, Sterling Chris and Just Plum Lucky. It will be interesting to see how much claiming takes place this weekend with the finales coming up.
The four Bronte contests will go as the second, fourth, sixth and seventh races on the program. Free TrackMaster Cal Expo past performances and analysis will be available at www.trackmaster.com/calx and at www.calexpoharness.com.
Looking at the Sire Stakes for the pacing colts, Shamderock is unbeaten in added-money competition with his peers and looks to add another trophy to the mantle for owner/breeder D&E Racing Inc. and driver/trainer Luke Plano. He sports an $85,000 bank account with a 1:52 career standard that was established this summer at Vernon Downs.
Taking on the D&E Racing color-bearer are Live A Little with Lemoyne Svendsen; No Strings and James Kennedy; Millions with Scott Cisco; Precious Few and George Luster; Badger Creek for Harold Herrera; and Spoons with Steve Wiseman.
The Sire Stakes for the trotting colts will go as a non-betting event prior to the regular program. They will line-up this way: Lodi Nickolus for Pierre Girard; Final Chapter with Rich Wojcio; Im So Silky and Steve Wiseman; Lodi Kristopher, Scott Cisco; and Haveadrink On Me, who leaves from the outside with Lemoyne Svendsen.
Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (Oct. 27) at 5:30 p.m. (PDT) and continues on Friday (Oct. 28) and Saturday (Oct. 29) at 6 p.m.