by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — When business concludes Saturday night (Dec. 18), Luke Plano will have wrapped up another driving title at Cal Expo by a pretty wide margin, an accomplishment that is not lost on the 30-year-old pilot.

“I’m been extremely fortunate over the last couple of years to drive for outfits that give me very live horses, including those trained by my father,” said Luke, who came into this week with 1,740 victories and more than $6.7 million in earnings.

He was asked if there was one area in particular where he feels he has improved the most during the season, and he was quick to come up with a response.

“No question, it’s my ability to know the other horses in the race, and that’s something a lot of people don’t think about when it comes to drivers.

“It comes with experience, because when you first start out you’re more concerned about other things, like how you’re sitting in the bike, the pace and where the horse is in the race. You also tend to second guess and doubt yourself when you first start out, but the more you’re out there, the less that happens.”

Plano feels he has gained some valuable experience not only here in Sacramento, but competing at tracks of different sizes across the country. This is home, though, and winning the Cal Expo title for the both the spring and fall looks awfully good on the resume.

Of course, Luke still has a long way to go to match the figures posted by his father Rick, who is the leader in the local drivers room with his 5,624 trips to the winner’s circle and $22 million in the bank.

“I wish I still had a fraction of that money,” he likes to joke.

Distaffers clash in Kaycess Doll finale

She Is So Glad, a punctual favorite in the elimination; and One Hot Tamale, who upset her in recent Sire Stakes action, get another chance to settle the score at Cal Expo in Friday night’s (Dec. 17) $10,500 finale of the Kaycess Doll series for pacing fillies and mares.

A 3-year-old homebred daughter of Power Of Art, She Is So Glad races for the partnership of Jim Wilkinson, Jr., Hans Karge, Billie Schwartz and Jay Rosenberg, is conditioned by Jim Wilkinson and will have Rich Wojcio in the sulky. She is looking for her sixth win of the year from a dozen appearances with a 1:55 mark that was set while romping home in an Oct. 29 stakes event.

Two starts back in the Kaycess Doll elimination, the Wilkinson trainee was sent off the 7-5 choice and flew home in :27.2 over a “good” track to seal the deal by three-quarters of a length. In last week’s $20,000 Sire Stakes Championship, she was 70 cents on the dollar, but had to settle for second behind a coast-to-coast One Hot Tamale in that mile.

The latter is a Distinguishedbaron offspring who is owned and was bred by Wayne Knittel and will have trainer Rick Plano at the controls. She is a multiple stakes victress who set the pace in the Kaycess Doll elimination before tiring to fourth, then rebounded with a big effort in last week’s Championship with that gate-to-wire performance.

Rounding out the cast are Just Plum Lucky with Luke Plano; Upncoming Prospect and Steve Wiseman; Thelady Isa Champ with Tim Maier; and Bewareofthisaffair, who will have the services of James Kennedy.

Looking ahead to Saturday night, the final of the Courageous Red series will hold the spotlight. Oneout Inthe Eigth, who captured the elimination two weeks ago at 27-1 in a romp; and stakes winners Lily’s Hi Ho and Hi Ho Steverino are the big guns in that affair.

Oneout Inthe Eigth is certainly coming into this race in razor-sharp form for owner/breeder Grover Stables, trainer Bob Johnson and driver Sue Boyce. He will be looking for his eighth lifetime snapshot from 22 starts and sports a 1:55.4 career standard that was set here earlier in the season.

Following this weekend’s racing, the trotters and pacers will take a week off before returning to action on Thursday, Dec. 30. There will be a special Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve program at 3:40 p.m. (PST) and a Jan. 1 card to officially welcome in the 2011 season.

Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (Dec. 16) at 5:30 p.m. (PST) and continues through Saturday (Dec. 18). Approximate post time on Friday (Dec. 17) and Saturday is 5:40 p.m.