by Mark Ratzky, for Cal-Expo Raceway

Sacramento, CA — A pair of $5,300 trots will highlight the Thursday night (Feb. 22) program at Cal-Expo, with recent winners Ruby Red Dress and Homestead Branded squaring off against Jess Or No in the first division, while the venerable I’m Dam Goog gets top billing in the other heat.

Ruby Red Dress will be part of an entry with Final Choice, and both are well drawn in the two and four posts for this assignment. Both are conditioned by Gilbert Herrera, who owns and drives Final Choice, while Ruby Red Dress carries the hopes of Don and Barbara Arnstine, with Brad Irvine at the controls.

Ruby Red Dress is a 5-year-old daughter of Mr Vic, who has two wins and a second from her four trips to the gate on the new year. The first three outings came in the Nicol Tremblay series, where she won the second leg, then finished fourth in the rich finale, after carving out the fractions.

Showing up at this level for last week’s start, the Arnstine color-bearer left into a good trip with Irvine in the bike, tracked to the stretch, then had the right answer when the question was asked to post a 1-1/2 length victory, without really being asked for her best. She should be dangerous right back.

Final Choice adds appeal to the coupling. He was a seven-time winner last season and has a snapshot, a second, and two thirds from his five trips to the post in 2007. He has $135,000 in the bank and a 1:56.4 mark from two years ago. He registered his most recent victory while competing with this caliber on January 25. He played the role of stalker that evening, then fought it out gamely in the crucial stages to win clear. He was runner-up to the hard-hitting Oatmeister in his next try, and was hard used early from the outside in last week’s mile, thus paying the price in the stretch.

Homestead Branded figures to offer the main threat to the Herrera pair. Kennedy Lindsey’s protégé is looking for his sixth win from eight starts on the year. Mike McDanel’s performer will depart from the second tier, with Tim Maier handling the reins.

Homestead Branded won his divisions of the first two legs of the aforementioned Tremblay series, then lost a tough one to a pylon-skimming Hoosier Punk in the finale. He has come back with two very sharp wins at this level, coming from far back to capture the first, and most recently sitting a nice trip to be up in the final strides.

Jess Or No helps make that first division a very strong affair. He won half of his 20 starts last season and has clicked in three of five this year, with his last outing coming two weeks ago at the Invite level. Ed Hensley drives and trains for his wife Jessica.

I’m Dam Goog is definitely the big name in the other co-feature. The 12-year-old son of Googie comes into Thursday’s race with $617,000 in earnings and a 1:55 mark from three years ago. He races for Gregg Pistochini, with Hensley calling the shots, and is definitely one of the most popular performers on the grounds. At this level, he has to be given plenty of respect.