by Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness

Sacramento, CA — Bruce Clarke has returned for another winter stay in California, bringing along his top trotter I Love New York and a dozen other assorted performers.

“You can say that I’m hoping to rebuild,” said Clarke, an accomplished driver/trainer who has driven over 2,900 winners in his career and recently went over the $12 million mark as a chauffeur.

I Love New York is owned by Clarke along with longtime clients Jack Coffey and Patricia Waldeck and the 6-year-old Broadway Hall homebred is nearing $250,000 in earnings while sporting a 1:54.3 career standard that was established here last season.

His most recent victory came in late August over the five-eighths Tioga Downs oval in the state he’s named after and the dark-hued trotter has gone some big miles for Clarke since his introduction to the game.

“I’m out here for the winter and it’s nice to get away from the cold,” Bruce related. “This wasn’t the best of summers for the barn, because we had a lot of bad luck, but I’ve got some young ones here that I’ll be getting ready.”

The one thing missing from his arsenal this year would be some Sire Stakes performers, which has been a mainstay of the shed row over the years, but Clarke still figures to make his presence felt during the course of this meeting.

A reminder that there are now four wagers here that feature a reduced 16% takeout rate. They are the 50-cent Pick-5; the Jackpot-6; the Pick-4 and the Hi-5 on the nightcap.