by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — She didn’t have the easiest of trips, plus the horse to beat sat in the pocket, but it mattered not for Peaches And Cream, as she scored impressively.

Diamond Harness Alliance 4-year-old pacing mares, racing on Friday (March 16) in the inaugural Hawkeye Stake for a purse of $25,000, were featured on another beautiful night at Cal-Expo, in which Peaches And Kim proved too tough.

In advance of starting from post position five in the field of six, driver Bruce Clarke was optimistic.

“She has been racing very well,” said Clarke. “I thought she had a shot, while knowing the horse to beat was Lil Kim (Tim Maier). My game-plan was to take back no matter what, because she’s always better from the back. My hope was that they would get going early.”

Coming away sixth and last, Peaches And Cream found herself eight lengths back at the quarter-mile pole, timed in :28.2, while racing on the iron.

“She was on the muscle pretty good, but I was quite comfortable while biding my time. I wasn’t going to move her, no matter what, until we headed into the last turn, because she can pace very fast when I do move her.”

Unhurried at the half-mile pole, timed in :57.3, while still 8-1/4 lengths back at the caboose, Clarke wasn’t concerned, even with the 4-5 favorite, Lil Kim, who was dropping out of the Filly & Mare Invitational Handicap, racing in the pocket.

“I wasn’t concerned because I know that my mare is very good from behind and can race home with the best of them.”

Moving first-over at the 9-16th-mile pole, Clarke would brush his charge with three-eighths of a mile to go, then would have the daughter of Little Steven pacing with a lot of momentum midway through the final turn, all while Clarke was now waiting for the fresh Lil Kim to pull, which occurred just to the three-quarter pole, timed in 1:26.4.

“I could have sprinted by Lil Kim, but I actually waited on her to come out because had I sprinted by her, it would have given her a shot on my back — which I didn’t want. Even though Lil Kim had been in the pocket, I was pretty confident because she didn’t sprint off on me once she pulled.”

With Lil Kim taking the lead as the field entered the stretch, Clarke wouldn’t wait long before tipping off his cover, which he did to the seven-eighths-mile pole.

“I thought I had Lil Kim put away because my mare was pacing fast at that point while Tim (Maier) was working on and yelling at his mare, all while I was still tracking them — so I knew she wasn’t beating me.”

Getting to Lil Kim with a sixteenth of a mile to go, it was all over but the shouting.

“My mare was pacing strongly and would go on to win easily.”

Bred and owned by Wayne and Rodney Knittel, and trained by “Sparky” Clarke, Peaches And Cream would close into the lead in deep stretch, while actually drawing clear by 2-1/4 lengths at the wire in 1:54.3. Lil Kim finished in second, and Little Bit Country (Steve Hyman) was just another neck back, while finishing a fast closing third.

“She raced very strong, and deserved to win, especially after having bad luck in her last stake race back on December 9, when she was knocked out in a race I thought she could have won,” Clarke concluded.

The first race on the card was the $25,000 Badger Stake for Diamond Harness Alliance trotting 4-year-old mares, and a field of six raced. However, due to first turn confusion as a result of a breaker locking wheels with another foe, the stewards ruled the race no contest.

This based and according to rule 1544 of the California Racing Board, which states, “The stewards may declare a race no contest if interference occurs during the running of the race that affects the majority of horses in such race. Any wagers on races called off, canceled, or declared no contest shall be refunded, and no purse, prize or stakes shall be awarded.”

Since only one horse in the field of six wasn’t involved in the confusion, the stewards, by rule, declared the race no contest.

All horses and drivers came out of the race fine.

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Saturday, March 17. Post time is at 5:35 p.m. (PDT). On Saturday, Cal-Expo will offer Dollar Night, on which hot dogs, beer, soda, and wine will be sold for one dollar each.

Cal-Expo now offers guaranteed $10,000 pools on all Pick-4’s and the New Pick-5!