from Cal-Expo Raceway

Sacramento, CA — Leg 2 of the Golden Bear Series pace was split into two fields of seven horses each and carded as the sixth and eighth races on Saturday night, January 24, at Cal-Expo.

Each race was for a purse of $7,500. The Golden Bear Series is a Cal-Bred Free For All and the final next Saturday night will be for $20,000.

A late scratch caused the sixth race to drop to a six horse field. Race-time favorite True Believer dropped in second for a pocket trip behind Close Up, then Winning Star brushed for the lead when they entered the backstraight.

Serge Masse pulled True Believer out in front of him and took the lead, forcing Winning Star to come around him, too. That gave True Believer a pocket trip through the middle five-eighths of the race.

With three-sixteenths left to race, Masse tipped True Believer out and he easily passed Winning Star without any pressure from the driver and Serge Masse added win number 2,000 to his resume! Close Up held on for third. The winning time was 1:55⁴.

Capitol Racing General Manager Alan Horowitz and Race Secretary Fred Kuebler met Serge Masse in the winner’s circle with congratulations and presented him with a plaque and a huge sign stating ‘Win #2,000.’

Masse and Joe Lin own the winner and Masse also trains him. He is a six-year-old gelded son of Denali, out of the Seahawk Hanover dam La Jazz Hot. This win put his life earnings a few bucks shy of $100,000.

The second division was a bit more competitive with leg one winner Iwannawinbetts, Hi Ho Silverwheels, who was second last week, and Nightmareonelm, back racing after a month layoff, but sure to be heard from as he was one of the three best 2003 California three-year-olds.

Hi Ho Silverwheels had three straight seconds in 2004 and with that backdrop the public sent him off the favorite.

He raced like the favorite, too, winning in 1:56¹. Rick Plano left strongly with the eventual winner and briefly took the lead, but Luke Plano and Gee Gee Whiz rambled around him and took the lead, putting Iwannawinbetts in third.

Just past the opening quarter Todd Ratchford rushed Iwannawinbetts out and took the lead rapidly.

Midway on the far turn Plano tipped Hi Ho Silverwheels out first over and attacked the leader. Richard Wojcio grabbed that chance and moved Nightmareonelm out and used the cover of Hi Ho Silverwheels. Gee Gee Whiz was keeping close in the pocket and it became a four horse race.

With a sixteenth left to pace, Hi Ho Silverwheels put distance between him and the other three as he crossed the wire a three length winner. Iwannawinbetts was second and Gee Gee Whiz had a head on Nightmareonelm for third. The latter three were lapped on to each other and Nightmareonelm was clearly short, faltering just a bit in deep stretch.

Virginia Schick of Sacramento owns the winner and Plano also trains him. He is the first born of the great Hi Ho Silverheel’s. He is a six-year-old gelding out of the Spicy Charlie dam Nicols Doll. He has now earned just over $151,000 life.

Cal-Expo fans who used to get our results from the Racing Channel are reminded that they can get our results right after each race on our website: www.capitolracing.com and click on Quick Results.