by Mark Ratzky, Cal-Expo publicity department

Sacramento, CA — Meringue and Boo Coo Blush, third and fourth under these conditions last week behind See Through It and Gia Hall, figure to get plenty of attention in Thursday night’s (June 12) featured trot at Cal-Expo.

Meringue is a multiple stakes-winning Jonathan Lobell offspring who competes for Dawn Evango and is trained and driven by Hans Rynningen. He has captured four of his 14 starts on the year, including a pair of stakes victories. The most recent of those came May 24 when he romped home by 11 lengths with Luke Plano handling the lines.

Sent off as the 8-5 chalk in a race that saw See Through It as the winner of last week’s affair, Meringue would race second-over behind the winner turning for home, loomed large once straightened for the wire, but could not come up with the needed kick and was narrowly beaten by Gia Hall for the place spot.

Boo Coo Blush is a Tagliabue mare that will be handled by Lemoyne Svendsen and hails from the Bob Johnson barn, with Johnson co-owning with David Neumeister. She has clicked three times this season from 13 trips to the post, closing smartly to get the job done three back under Svendsen’s direction.

North America Cup simulcast on Saturday

This Saturday (June 14) will find a simulcast of the complete program from Mohawk Racetrack in Canada, featuring the C$1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old pacers.

The star of the show is definitely the unbeaten sensation Somebeachsomewhere, who scored his eighth straight victory in one of last week’s elimination heats with Paul MacDonell in the sulky. There is no doubt this one will be the heavy favorite in Saturday’s rich race, as he will attempt to become the first undefeated North America Cup winner in the 23-year history of this event.

Owned by the Schooner Stable, Somebeachsomewhere was voted the top 2-year-old pacing colt in Canada and the United States last season, earning over $770,000 and setting a world record of 1:49.3 in winning the rich Metro Pace.

Mary Harris carries on the tradition

Mary Harris has had a lifelong love of horses, but it wasn’t until about 20 years ago that she started to get involved in harness racing.

“I was boarding horses at the same farm as Raleigh Wiseman, who became my husband, and he got me interested in the trotters and pacers,” explained Harris. When Raleigh passed away two years ago, Mary decided to carry on the stable in his honor. Kennedy Lindsey, James Covemaker and Leon Smith are her trainers.

“At first, I wasn’t really all that interested in the racing end, but I made it my business to find the horses good homes when their racetrack days were over,” Harris related. “Eventually, the racing started to grow on me, and I became a big fan.”

When her husband passed away, Mary had to make a decision, and elected to continue the breeding and racing. At the moment she has five performers at the track and another 20 babies and mares at her Spirit Of Lodi farm in nearby Elk Grove, California.

“I enjoy all parts of the game, from the breeding, to the raising the babies, to seeing them in action at the racetrack,” she explained. “I would say the number I have right now at the track and the farm is just about right.”

When asked about her favorite horse, Harris is quick to answer.

“That would have to be Ailene’s Prince. I guess I prefer the trotters, because they have such a beautiful stride. They may be more of a challenge, but because they’re not as hard on themselves, they last longer.”

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Thursday (June 12) and continue through Saturday (June 14). Post time on Thursday is at 6:20 p.m. (PDT), Friday is at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. On Thursday, Cal-Expo offers a complete lasagna dinner, which includes salad and bread, for just $3.00.

The Pick-6 at Cal-Expo, which has a Thursday night carryover of $4,229.87, is now a $1 wager.