by harness publicists across North America

Thursday’s (March 25) edition of Racing Roundup features stories from Hoosier Park and Cal-Expo Raceway.

Seventeenth live racing meet opens at Hoosier Park

Anderson, IN — The 17th season of Standardbred racing got underway Thursday, March 25 at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino over a sloppy track surface with a newcomer to Indiana taking the first race of the night. Sir Churchhill, driven by Dan Shetler, won the season opener in a time of 2:01.2 to break his maiden in his first start for 2010.

Linscott Photo

Sir Churchhill, driven by Dan Shetler, won the season opener in a time of 2:01.2

Starting from the second tier post 10, Shetler got away in mid-pack with Sir Churchhill but was soon out and pursuing the top spot before the halfway marker in a time of 1:00.3. The lead was all his after that point, maintaining control of the race to the finish line by 2-3/4 lengths over Carol Jean and Jon Anderson. Kindakinky and Andy Shetler rounded out the top three.

“The pace was starting to slow after the quarter, so I got him (Sir Churchhill) out and went to the lead,” said Shetler. “I felt this horse had a good chance to be in the top three and wanted to give him a shot. It was no surprise he opened up on them late in the race.”

Shetler gained confidence in Sir Churchhill after qualifying him at Hoosier Park. Shetler was eager to accept the driving duties in pari-mutuel action from owner-trainer Robert Neiheiser Sr. of Crosby, Tx.

“I qualified him last week and didn’t know what to expect,” said Shetler. “He hadn’t shown a flat mile ever. I don’t know what his problem has been. He’s a 5-year-old now. Maybe all of his career is in front of him.”

Neiheiser is stabled at Hoosier Park for the first time this season. He shipped up to Indiana from his farm in Texas, where he has been prepping his two Indiana-sired horses for the 2010 racing season. Neiheiser has been in the racing industry for several decades, racing at numerous tracks in Illinois and Kentucky.

— Tammy Knox

OG’s Si Bon gets a well-earned win at Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — After a string a fine efforts, OG’s Si Bon finally got through the door she had been knocking on.

Conditioned claimers were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday night, on which OG’s Si Bon never looked back.

Leaving, but while out-left, driver James Kennedy accelerated his mare to the first-turn before getting the lead well after an eighth of a mile. Did Kennedy use his charge into a :28.4 first quarter?

“I actually thought I used her a lot because I lagged leaving,” Kennedy stated. “So when I decided to leave I had to get on her pretty good and used her to sprint to get to the front. It concerned me a little bit because she was scooting along with very good speed and I thought I used her a little too much to get there because I think she paced the second sixteenth in the first quarter in probably six seconds.”

Giving his mare a :31.2 second-quarter breather, Kennedy was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

“When I saw the timer pop up at the half at :59.4, I pretty much felt I had regained what little bit of stamina I thought I had used in that first quarter.”

Meeting up with a fast-moving Serengeti Sunset (Steve Hyman) at the five-eighths mile marker, Kennedy, at the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:29.2, was calm and cool despite the pressure.

“I was sitting very chilly and hadn’t really pushed her since the (first) quarter, plus I hadn’t popped the earplugs at that point. I was just sitting along for the ride and thought my chances were very good.”

Only on top by less than a length as the field entered the lane, Kennedy felt it was necessary to ask for more speed.

“It was a pretty good drive by Steve Hyman to try and get me by surprise with Serengeti Sunset and they got pretty close, so I popped the earplugs around the seven-eighths mile pole and she responded perfectly. From that point on Serengeti Sunset wasn’t going to go by me.”

Under minor urging until mid-stretch, then not urged the rest of the way, the 4-year-old held firm to win ($3.80) easier than the half-length winning margin would indicate. Owned by Raymond O’Neill in partnership with trainer Matius Ruiz, OG’s Si Bon stopped the timer at 1:58.1, a lifetime best. Serengeti Sunset was a good second, and Mighty Fine Hi Ho (John Chappell) finished just a half-length farther back, in third.

“It was a pretty easy class and she was kind of the best in there and had been in there for a while — but it was still a pretty good race,” Kennedy concluded.

Live racing will continue at Cal-Expo on Friday at 5:35 p.m., pacific and on Saturday at 5:55 p.m.

— Scott Ehrlich