by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — For most, rain and mud are an inconvenience, but for Writer, it suits her just fine.

Conditioned trotters, racing for a $4,100 purse, were featured at Cal-Expo on a wet Friday night (October 12), in which Writer upset.

Before starting from post position eight in the field of ten over a track listed as “good,” driver Steve Desomer wasn’t concerned about his post, given the track condition.

“My horse has real bad feet, so a hard track will sting her,” said Desomer. “So, going into this race, with the softer track as a result of the rain, I thought I maybe had a little bit more of a chance even though she had been disappointing in her last — when the track was hard.”

With the field just in behind the starting gate though, Desomer encountered a brief scare.

“She ran about 3-16ths of a mile to the start, but she caught right back on. That break, however, concerned me, which is why I was careful in the first turn with her — which is why I didn’t get the lead until past the quarter, as I was fearful she could make a break. The lead, though, wasn’t really that tough.”

Not clearing to the lead until past the quarter-mile pole, timed in :30, Writer would receive no second quarter pressure while reaching the half-mile station in 1:01.3.

Still yet to receive any challenges while now on the final turn, Desomer would see if his mare was up to his pre-race optimism.

“I popped her earplugs at the five-eighths with the thought that if she was going to be good, then she would respond when I popped the plugs — which she did — which made me feel pretty good.”

Reaching the three-quarter-mile pole, timed in 1:32.4, Desomer would start to move his charge off the pylons, and for good reason.

“I moved her to the two-path because it was slick on the inside.”

Now under a drive in the stretch, the only worry for the 4-year-old was the pocket sitting Photo Delight (Lemoyne Svendsen), who was now out for the drive. For the veteran Desomer, however, he was confident.

“Even though Photo Delight was within a length of me the entire stretch, I knew that “Mooney” (Lemoyne Svendsen) didn’t have enough horse to beat me, which made me feel pretty safe.”

Bred and owned by the Desomer Stables, and trained by Vickie Desomer, Writer would hold firm to score ($33.60) by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:03. Photo Delight was a clear second, and Jessie Hall (John McKeon), who was parked the mile, would finish another seven lengths farther back, while racing gamely to be third.

“I thought she did an outstanding job tonight after her sub-par race last week,” Desomer finished.

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Saturday (October 13). Post time is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. (PDT). Saturday at Cal-Expo is the Night of Champions for the California Sires Stakes horses.

Additionally on Saturday night, Cal-Expo will welcome Francisco Garcia and Justin Williams of The Sacramento Kings to “The Night of the Shooting Stars.” Francisco and Justin, both forwards for the local NBA squad, will take time out from their busy preseason schedule to come out to the racetrack and mingle with the fans and sign autographs over the course of the evening. Every fan that enters the track on Saturday will be given a complimentary entry blank, which makes them eligible to drawings for Kings tickets, as well as signed memorabilia.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. and continuing until 6:30 p.m., fans will get an opportunity to earn their chance to shoot with the stars. Two fans that display superior basketball shooting prowess will earn their way into a basketball shootout with Francisco and Justin. Both fans that qualify for the shootout will receive a signed game ball, and if either can out-shoot the pros, they will earn a $100 Cal-Expo wagering voucher.

Saturday is also Dollar Night, on which hot dogs, beer, soda, and wine will be sold for one dollar each.

Cal-Expo also offers guaranteed $10,000 pools on all Pick-4’s!