by Mark Ratzky, publicity department, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — Desperatehousewife, who has established herself as the top gun in the trotting division here this season, looks to register her 10th victory of the year in Thursday night’s (July 19) $8,000 Invitational at Cal-Expo.

The 5-year-old Jonathan Lobell mare is having a sensational 2007, on the heels of last year, which saw her return to the charmed circle following 10 of her 13 appearances. She has pushed her career bankroll over the $170,000 plateau with a 1:55.4 mark that was set when capturing the June 21 Invite.

Carol Campbell and Jean MacDonell own Desperatehousewife with MacDonnell the trainer and Gilbert Herrera in his usual spot in the sulky. She is shooting for four straight victories and has recently changed her style, going from a long-fused performer to a front-end victress.

Desperatehousewife kicked off her recent hot streak with that aforementioned June 21 tally, while making every pole a winning one, and while lowering her lifetime standard to 1:55.4 in the process. It was another wire job the following week as she was never threatened and won without being asked for her best.

Sent off at 30 cents on the dollar for last week’s clash at the head of the trotting class, the MacDonell trainee had little trouble establishing command with Herrera, set a modest pace and then left her rivals in the dust turning for home as she came to the wire with eight lengths to spare.

“I knew they were going to have to fly to catch her,” Herrera said after the score. “I hit the wheel-disc past the three-quarters as well as into the stretch and she responded very well. I kept her under light urging to keep her attention and she was very, very good and determined to win. She raced real well and was really on her game.”

Iverman completed the exacta last week for Sling and a Stone Stable and driver/trainer Rocky Stidham. The son of Muscles Yankee got some class relief on June 22 and responded with a solid win, and since returning to this top level has a second and a third behind Desperatehousewife.

Phipps was a 10-time victor last year and has three wins to his credit from 22 trips to the post this year. Lou Pena reins, trains and co-owns the 7-year-old with Wade Miller, and he got his most recent snapshot following the June 7 Invite. He out-nodded Desperatehousewife that evening in a game performance, but has had to settle for three straight show finishes in the interim.

Don Pauli N and I Look Special complete the cast.

A 10-race program is on tap, with the Invitational going as the fourth on the evening.

Jam And Jelly making nice impression

Jam And Jelly has apparently found a new home in California, as the Indiana import has turned in three solid efforts since relocating from Hoosier Park for trainer George Reider. She will suit up once again for Thursday night’s ninth race.

The 3-year-old trotter was runner-up in her first two outings here, and with those efforts under her belt was sent off at 20 cents on the dollar last week and did not disappoint her many backers with Jim Lackey guiding her to a first-over decision.

“Stan Bayless is my man back there and he found this filly for me,” Reider explained when asked about Jam And Jelly, who competes for the trainer and Maurice Sigmon. “She was racing for George Arft, who has a lot of horses and was looking to sell some of them. I actually bought her just before that last stakes race at Hoosier in May, and we ended up going partners on her for that one race, which she won quite easily for Walter Haynes, Jr.”

Jam And Jelly made her initial Cal-Expo appearance a month later, completing the exacta in that affair, then just missing after some traffic woes in her next mile. There were no such problems last week, as Lackey came first-over with the heavy favorite and prevailed by a measured length to the delight of the chalk-players.

“It’s taken about a month to get her where I want,” her trainer related. “She was pretty skinny when she got here, and now she’s put on quite a bit of weight. You’ll notice she never makes a break and is perfectly gaited, which is half the battle right there. She just loves to go out there and do what she’s doing, and she showed in that last start she can take some air.”

Reider is hopeful that Jam And Jelly will continue to make headway, which could mean a return to Indiana for some stakes engagements down the road.

“They tell me the fillies are going 1:57 back there, so we’ll just have to see how she progresses here. I know one thing, she loves California,” Reider finished.

Mario’s Be Happy scores on Wednesday

In Wednesday night’s featured $4,200 trot, Mario’s Be Happy was reunited with owner/trainer Gilbert Herrera and the combo found their way to the winner’s circle.

Closing nicely to win by a nose, Mario’s Be Happy stopped the timer at 1:59.2, her 23rd career win. The victory for Herrera completed a training and driving double.

Cast British (Rick Plano) closed to just miss and had to settle for second, and TV Mom (Tien Desomer) finished another 1-1/2 lengths back in third.

On the Wednesday night card, driver Rick Plano had four wins.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo tonight (Thursday), continuing through Saturday. Post time on Thursday is at 5:35 p.m. (PDT). Post time on Friday and Saturday is now at 6:15 p.m. On Thursday, Cal-Expo offers Fiesta Thursdays, in which fans can enjoy $2.00 frozen margaritas and tacos.

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