by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — When the 8-year-old pacer Larry Horse goes to the post in Friday night’s (May 21) fifth race at Cal-Expo, he’ll have quite a rooting section in his corner, including new owner KC Carvalho, a large number of ESPN radio listeners and a very worthy charity.

The story actually begins a year and a half ago, when track announcer Scott Ehrlich took some time off to attend his son’s wedding in St. Louis and prominent owner Carvalho fulfilled one of his dreams by handling the race calling duties.

As luck would have it, Carvalho was at the microphone when Rick Plano recorded his milestone 5,000th driving victory, and it was accomplished behind Larry Horse. Carvalho picks up the story from that point.

“I was driving home that night listening to Bob Valvano’s V Show on ESPN radio, when he played my call of that race where I get really excited at the end,” Carvalho related. “From that point, I guess it just kind of took on a life of its own, and they play it every time they have anything related to horse racing, and especially when they’re talking about Larry Horse.”

Bob Valvano is the brother of the late North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano, for which the well-known V Foundation is named. For some time now, the radio show has been making bets on horses, with the money, win or lose, going to the Foundation. Lately, the majority of these wagers have been on Larry Horse, who landed in the winner’s circle most recently two weeks ago.

“I’ve felt a special attachment to this horse ever since the night I called that race,” explained Carvalho. “I’d been trying to buy him, but the owner liked him and didn’t want to sell. When he finally ended up with another owner, I reached in and claimed him last week.”

Because Larry Horse is so popular on the V Show, it was only natural that Valvano would have Carvalho on the broadcast after he claimed the horse. During the interview, Bob, while laughing, asked if he could buy in on 10 percent of the pacer, which gave Carvalho an idea.

“I decided I would give the V Show 10 percent, which means 10 percent of everything Larry Horse earns will go to the V Foundation, and if he should happen to be claimed, then 10 percent of that will go. I’ll be paying all the bills.”

Larry Horse will be in action Friday for new trainer Gretchen Smith and leaves from the one-hole with Luke Plano in the sulky.

“This horse means a lot to me, and I told Gretchen to treat him like he’s worth $100,000,” Carvalho said. “He’s got a cult following out there.”

Cycle showing power in the stretch

Cycle Power has been a win machine over the last month for owner/trainer Nathalie Tremblay and driver Steve Wiseman, and the Cambest pacer will attempt to make it four wins from his last five starts in Thursday’s (May 20) feature at Cal-Expo.

“I heard about him from a friend in Pennsylvania and I’ve had him here for about two months now,” Tremblay related. “He’s a very laid-back horse, the same as the way he races.

“When the gate starts to roll, he acts like he wants to go, but then when it leaves he can be pretty lazy. You need to get after him, and Steve has done a great job letting him settle and then coming home to get them.”

As mentioned earlier, Cycle Power’s late heroics have resulted in three victories over the last four weeks, with the only setback being his May 6 outing where he made a break while appearing to be on his way to victory.

“I had his hopples a little too long, and Steve also thought he needed a head pole,” Tremblay explained. “We made the changes for his last race and everything went perfect. He’s still got one win left in this condition, so he’s able to come right back at the same class.”

Four championship events, TVG Amateur Driver Series finale on tap Saturday

Four $25,000 championship events for the 3-year-old trotters and pacers, with the Spring titles on the line, and the finale of the TVG Amateur Driver series are set for Saturday night (May 22) at Cal-Expo.

Frank’s Best certainly gets top billing among the trotting colts, while the Rick Plano team of Dancing Barry and Hi Ho Steverino get a rematch with recent upsetter Art Deco in the event for the pacing males. Upncoming Prospect eyes a stakes hat trick in the contest for pacing fillies, while Acapulco Gold also has her sights on three straight trophies when the trotting fillies do battle.

Frank’s Best has been completely dominating in the trotting colts division, taking three of the four added-money races last season and all three of the 2010 events in clear-cut fashion. Bob Johnson owns, trains and bred the son of Armbro Scribe while Jim Lackey will handle the lines.

Among the pacing colts, Dancing Barry is the leader with two stakes scores from last season and pictures from the first two stakes dances this year, with stablemate Hi Ho Steverino getting one last season and Art Deco upsetting both of them in the most recent gathering two weeks ago.

Dancing Barry is a Distinguishedbaron homebred who carries the banner of Wayne Knittel and will have Rick Plano in the bike, while Hi Ho Steverino is a Hi Ho Silverheel’s homebred representing Rod Knittel and has Luke Plano doing the honors. Art Deco is a Team Desomer homebred by Power Of Art who was winless in 13 attempts before putting it all together in the last stakes clash with Steve Desomer at the helm.

Upncoming Prospect is a homebred daughter of Key Prospect who carries the banner of Jack Coffey, is conditioned by Bob Johnson and will once again have Steve Wiseman at the controls. She was fourth in the first stakes gathering this spring, but has been impressive in capturing the last two big-money clashes.

In her April 23 victory, she was hard used early to find a stalking spot, then ignited when the question was asked in the stretch to prevail by three-quarters of a length over One Hot Tamale. Two weeks ago in the most recent stakes dance, Upncoming Prospect again took a tracking position and came home smartly to win by 1-3/4 lengths.

Acapulco Gold has taken over the top spot among the trotting fillies by virtue of having accounted for the last two stakes. The daughter of Supernatural is trained and driven by Rocky Stidham, who also co-owns with Ben Kenney. She came from off the pace to take down the April 23 clash, then changed tactics to make every pole a winning one two weeks ago while holding sway by a nose over Exquisite Gem.

Looking at the TVG Amateur Driver series, Mighty Fella has been an impressive winner in his divisions of the first two legs and looms the one to beat for the combination of Owen Eiler, Jr., trainer David Gullian and driver Rick Bertrand.

The Dario Solares trained, Martha Olivas-owned Big Guy Two Win won his race on the opening week and then checked in second to Mighty Fella last time, while last week’s other division went to Drama Princess. The latter campaigns for Ralph Silvestri and Bada Bing Stables, takes her lessons from Gretchen Smith and was handled by Robert Stepien.

You can download free TrackMaster Platinum Past Performances (12 lines) for the Saturday card at www.trackmaster.com/calx.