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Thursday’s (Feb. 11) edition of Racing Roundup features a results story from Cal-Expo.

Castle Oaks puts a thorn in the rose at Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Conditioned distaffers, racing for a purse of $4,400, were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday night, in which Castle Oaks got up in the last stride.

Prior to starting from post position five in the field of six, trainer Tim Maier was going to try and make sure that he didn’t get a negative hat trick.

“I was just hoping that I didn’t get the type of trips I had gotten the last couple of weeks where she got shuffled back and was buried in there,” stated Maier.

Coming away in fifth while the four horses inside of her left and were vying for the lead, Maier was liking it through a quick first quarter of :28.2. With the field now heading up the backside, the even money favorite Reno Rose (Jim Lackey) found herself having to work for a testy lead that took her 5-16the of a mile to obtain. Maier, however, knew it would take more to weaken his game opponent.

“I figured Reno Rose would make the lead and she’s a tough mare. So if she didn’t get abused, which she didn’t, then she’d be very tough to beat.”

Remaining in fifth position at the half-mile juncture, timed in :57.3, Maier was contemplating.

“I was just trying to make up my mind on when to pull on the right line.”

Pulling on that right line and now first-over to the five-eighths marker, Castle Oaks quickly got cover past that station that provided a very live tow. Now third and just 1-1/2 lengths back at the three-quarter pole, timed in 1:27.2, Maier was appreciative and wishful.

“The cover from Zoom Past You (Lemoyne Svendsen) was welcome. I was just hoping my mare had her usual kick coming home.”

Moving three-wide into the lane and brushing to the seven-eighths marker, Reno Rose, when see her closing rival, did what everyone expected — she dug in.

“I knew it would be tough to get by Reno Rose, but coming right down to the wire, my horse was able to get up.”

Closing in determined late fashion, the 4-year-old got up on the wire to win ($10.60) by a head. Owned by breeder Alan Kirschenbaum in partnership with Denise Maier, Castle Oaks stopped the timer at 1:55.2, a seasonal best. Reno Rose just failed and had to settle for second, and Tawny Reserve (James Kennedy) finished another 3-1/2 lengths farther back in third.

“It was a very good effort on her part,” concluded Maier.

In the final race of the night, driver Luke Plano reached a milestone in his young career when he scored with Pussy Cat, thus giving the meet’s leading driver his 1,500th career win.

— Scott Ehrlich