by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — The veteran trotter Phipps is on a hot streak at Cal-Expo for owner KC Carvalho, trainer Tom Wine and driver Rick Plano, having rattled off four straight victories while putting his past class and versatility on full display.

“I was looking for a trotter to fit the $6,000 level and Phipps caught my attention with his race on May 31,” related Carvalho, who put in a claim on the 9-year-old son of S J’s Photo the following week.

“The first race for us, he was overmatched and broke in the stretch. We immediately dropped him back to $6,000 and he’s been both lucky and good gaited in his last four starts. I’m grateful to have quality trainers like Tom and Jill Wine, and thankful to Rick Plano for his advice and reinsmanship.”

Carvalho has been a harness racing fan for some 40 years and has been a frequent visitor to the winner’s circle ever since dipping into the ownership end a couple of years back.

“I apply the same principles to ownership that I do in my handicapping,” he noted.

It was last July that KC admits he got quite a thrill when he had the opportunity to be the announcer for a race.

“I got the best birthday present I ever received when I got the chance to call that race.”

He didn’t realize it at the time, but that unofficial audition was going to earn him a week’s worth of time in the booth, as last October he filled in as announcer for the week while Scott Ehrlich was in St. Louis for his son’s wedding. Carvalho took the money he earned from that gig and sponsored a race here at Cal-Expo for the blue-collar performers.

“I wanted it to be one for the lower-level claimers, because they’re the horses that need it,” he explained.

Rolling home for Nevarez/Ramirez Inc.

Rich And Roll got his overdue first snapshot of the season last week, exploding from last to win going away while leaving the likes of Dynamite Express and D Jokerman in his wake at a healthy $15 payoff with Jim Marino in the bike.

Rich And Roll is a 5-year-old Nirvana homebred who campaigns for longtime California owner/breeder Frank Nevarez while taking his lessons from Jose Ramirez. He has some stakes trophies on his mantle and sports a 1:52.2 standard that was established here two years ago.

The dark-hued pacer didn’t make it to the races until that sophomore campaign, but quickly made up for lost time.

“We gelded him when he was 2 and he had a few small problems, so we gave him all the time he needed,” Ramirez explained.

Rich And Roll was getting his first snapshot of 2009 in last week’s tally while making his 10th appearance.

“We let him spend the winter at the farm, which he really likes, and his race last week was his best,” his mentor noted. “He doesn’t like to be used too much early, but he can really sit and finish strong. We were very happy with that one.”

Ramirez came to the United States from Guatemala 16 years ago and found a home at what was then the Nevarez barn.

“I have to give all my thanks to Frank,” he said.

At the moment he conditions 14 performers, all of them either owned by Nevarez or himself. They also have several babies that are showing promise and could make some noise in the big-money events.

“We’re looking forward to having them ready for the stakes races when they start up in the fall,” Ramirez related.

She’s looking to turn the tables

Boss New York N will be gunning for a little revenge in Saturday’s (July 25) $8,200 finale of the TVG Amateur Series, as she gets a rematch with probable favorite Skyway Fantasy.

Leaving from the No. 9 post in last week’s penultimate leg, while Skyway Fantasy had the cozy rail, Boss New York N left to the lead at the quarter for pilot Robert Stepien before settling into the pocket. She was out to make another bid on the final bend, but was unable to hold off Skyway Fantasy, who was able to follow that one in second-over fashion with David Siegel.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that if you reverse the post positions last time and we have the rail and Skyway Fantasy has the nine, the result would have been the other way around,” trainer Jason Maier related.

For Saturday’s gathering, the draw was much kinder to Boss New York N. She will do her work from the No. 2 slot with Stepien, while the Frank Petrelli-trained Skyway Fantasy once again has the cozy rail with Siegel.

“All we wanted was a fairer chance as far as the posts were concerned, and we got it,” Maier said.

Maier bought the 8-year-old New Zealand import for a song a couple of months ago, and she has been a gem of consistency in the interim. She had little trouble handling her foes three back, was a facile victress in her division of the first leg of the Amateur Series, then went a big mile in last week’s runner-up finish.

“When I got her, I changed her shoeing and did some re-rigging and it’s helped her be more versatile,” her mentor explained. “Both Siegel and Stepien got off her after she raced and said she handled like a Cadillac, which made me feel pretty good.”

Maier co-owns Boss New York N with Farrell York and they’ll be shooting for a pretty nice prize with a mare that dwells in the $3,000 selling league. York, who is in the construction business, is doing quite well in his first venture into the ownership ranks.

This weekend will find the second and final qualifying round for the Cal-Expo Harness Handicapping event, featuring $20,000 in prize money with $10,000 going to the winner of the August 1 finale. Qualifying rounds will take place on Friday at Hollywood Park and Los Alamitos and on Saturday at the remaining facilities.

The other locations are Bakersfield, Barona, Cal-Expo, Fresno, Fresno Club One, Golden Gate, Lancaster, Monterey, Pleasanton, San Bernardino, Santa Anita, San Jose, San Mateo, Santa Rosa, Vallejo, Victorville and Ventura. Please check with your local facility for details.

A remainder that every Friday night through the end of the current meeting features a $10,000 guaranteed pool in the Late Pick 4, while Saturday nights find a $10,000 guaranteed pool in the Super High 5 wager.