by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — Saturday night’s (Dec. 17) Cal Expo feature is the Cliff Shurman Memorial Pace, named in honor of the popular owner who passed away last week after a brief illness. The $3,600 pacing event will match Ivegotwhatuneed, Stanza, Hi Ho Hi Ho, Nittany Linebacker, Western Ho and Marlin Hanover.
Among the popular performers campaigned by Shurman was Devilish Donnie, the 2008 Horse of the Year owned in partnership with Rocky Stidham.
“I trained for Cliff for seven years,” Stidham related. “We met here at the track, and Cliff had a way of meeting you.”
In recent years, Stidham related that Shurman was spending more and more time around the barn.
“Cliff was old school, a $2 bettor who really loved the horses. When he came to the barn, he always wanted to help out and be part of the team.”
Announcer Scott Ehrlich said, “Cliff’s love for our sport, from the horses that competed, to the horsemen, to anyone who shared his compassion, was very genuine. He appreciated the joy that harness racing gave to him, and gave it back, whether it was by being at the barn every morning, being at the track every night, or being in the winner’s circle with one of his horses or a friend’s horse.
“You couldn’t help admire Cliff for all that, which is why I always gave him a shout out in the winner’s circle, for which he always called to show his appreciation. So long my friend!”
The eighth race is named for Luke Plano, who scored the 2,000th driving victory of his career when he guided Natty Lite to the winner’s circle last weekend.
Harness racing returns Dec. 30
There will be no live racing at Cal Expo next week, with the trotters and pacers back in action on Friday (Dec. 30), followed by a special New Year’s Eve program on Saturday (Dec. 31) with a first post time of 5 p.m.
The January schedule finds racing on Friday and Saturday the first week; Thursday through Saturday cards on January 12-14; Friday and Saturday racing the following week; and the regular three night a week schedule for January 26-28.
Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (Dec. 15) at 5:30 p.m. (PST) and continues on Friday (Dec. 16) and Saturday (Dec. 17) at 6 p.m.