by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Rebecca Jones of Ventura captured the top prize in last week’s finale of the $10,000 Cal-Expo Midweek Madness Handicapping Tournament, taking home $2,500 for her efforts.

Cal-Expo photo

Rebecca Jones

“I became interested in harness racing when I met my husband 30 years ago,” explained Rebecca, who has been married to Marty Garey for 29 of those years. “He’s been a lifelong fan, and he’s owned some nice horses, including Knead To Shine, who was a stakes winner for Wayne Short.”

Rebecca, who retired this past December after 35 years on the Board of Equalization, gives lots of credit to her husband for her handicapping success during both the opening round and last week’s Thursday night final.

“I relied on his advice quite a bit, he’s the one who knows the horses,” she said. “He’s at the Ventura site almost every night. It was really exciting, because he kept telling me right along that he thought I had a real good chance as each race finished.”

Marty made it a point to emphasize the positive side of this contest.

“I would like to add how much we appreciate Cal-Expo putting up $10,000 in prize money to hold contests like this. We both love the sport of harness racing and I do everything I can to talk about it and bring in more fans.

“Contests like this provide a great opportunity to get more people to participate and learn about this great sport of ours and to get more educated about what makes it unique compared to thoroughbred and quarter horses.

“We would also like to thank the Ventura Seaside Park Derby Club and particularly Jason, for their hospitality and for doing such a great job running the contest. They provide me a wonderful ‘home away from home’ with great friends and camaraderie every night of the week that harness racing is held at Cal-Expo.”

For Pulse, the beat goes on

He may be 12 now and no longer mixing it up with the big boys, but Pulse continues to do his thing out there and still has an affinity for landing in the winner’s circle. He proved it once again last weekend, pushing his bank account close to $465,000 in the process.

The son of Life Sign, who is best remembered for beginning his career with 10 straight wins while in the Rick Plano barn, now goes about his business for owner/trainer Gretchen Smith while recently joining forces with pilot James Kennedy.

“He’s a neat horse to drive, and I want to thank Gretchen for giving me the chance with him,” Kennedy related. “He’s built strong, and he’s one of those horses who knows exactly what to do out there.”

While James doesn’t claim to be a horse whisperer, he admits this is one pacer who does have some communication skills.

“When the gate starts rolling, he kind of talks to you, and by that I mean he lets you know if he wants to be aggressive away from there or take a spot.”

Two weeks ago, Pulse and Kennedy had the dreaded nine hole and had to settle for a minor award, but last week they drew a much better post and parlayed a second-over trip into a snapshot and a $17 return to the faithful.

“Gretchen told me they had done some work on him and he would be better, and it couldn’t have been a smoother trip. To be honest, I’d have been very disappointed if he didn’t kick home and win the way things set up. When we were coming back, I kept telling him “Good job old man, good job” and I think he understood.”

She’s been a joy to be around

Princess Joy is slowly but surely inching her way toward the $100,000 earnings mark, and Lemoyne “Mooney” Svendsen has been right there on the journey with this 10-year-old trotting mare.

“I picked her out of a field when she was just a yearling,” Svendsen related. “She was a late foal and a tiny thing, but I loved the way she moved and her attitude. She didn’t race at 2, then she broke her maiden in 2:00 flat and I thought she was going to make us lots of money in the stakes races.”

At the time, Svendsen owned a half-interest in Princess Joy along with D&E Racing Inc. and things started out nicely as far as the big-dollar events were concerned.

“She won a Gold Series race and then a Sire Stakes, but then she suffered a slab fracture and was out for the next six months and missed the rest of the stakes races,” Mooney explained.

“That was the year Ahh Saundra was dominating them, and she won nearly $100,000 that season. We were the only filly to beat her, and it was very disappointing to miss the rest of those stakes because I think we actually had the better trotter.”

Fast-forward some seven years and Princess Joy is still doing her thing, albeit in modest claiming company. She is coming off back-to-back wins with Svendsen in the bike, coming from off the pace two back and making every pole a winning one at most recent asking.

“She’s always been versatile,” her mentor noted. “She can leave very strong, but she’ll also duck if you want her to. The only thing she won’t do is trot in the mud, which is why I scratched her a few weeks ago. I’m not going to take the chance that she hurts herself.”

Despite celebrating her 10th birthday last month, Svendsen relates that the bay miss still enjoys doing her thing.

“She’s getting old and has her problems, but she still loves racing. She’s something of a barn pet, and she’ll always be My Princess Joy.”