by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — According to Rick Plano, two of the most talented performers he’s ever trained will be going in back-to-back races at Cal Expo on Saturday night (May 14). Pacinello suits up in the featured second with his conditioner in the bike, while Shamderock goes for his seventh straight win in the third on the program and has Luke Plano at the helm.

Both of these pacers are D&E Racing Inc. home-breds, with Pacinello a 4-year-old son of Little Steven who has a slew of stakes trophies on his mantle, $246,000 in the bank and a 1:50.2 mark that was established last year at the Meadowlands. Shamderock is a 3-year-old by Hi Ho Silverheel’s who is unbeaten in seven stakes gatherings with his peers.

Cal Expo photo

Rick Plano has Pacinello and Shamderock going in back-to-back races on Saturday night’s program.

“The only thing they really have in common is that they love to win,” Plano explained when asked to compare the two pacers. “Pacinello has been a handful from the very start, but Shamderock is as docile a horse as you could ever be around.”

Pacinello, who has returned to have his picture taken following 20 of his 58 starts, is making only his third evening appearance of the year after finishing up his racing last September in New York.

“He won almost $130,000 for us last year and it was a pretty tough campaign, so we decided to give him some time off,” his mentor noted. “He’s getting tighter now, and then at the end of the month we’ll take him back East.”

Shamderock is also scheduled to see some East Coast tracks, but first he’ll compete this weekend and then try to make it a clean sweep of the Sire Stakes for the division next Saturday night (May 21).

“The first series we have him staked to is next month at Tioga Downs, and they go for $12,000 in the first two legs and then a $35,000 final.”

Shamderock, who has been as dominating with his peers as we’ve seen in some time, will be trying a smaller track for the first time when he takes his act to the five-eighths Tioga oval.

“He’s extremely good-gaited, so I don’t think he’ll have any problems with the turns,” Plano said.

Plano is also looking forward to debuting a 2-year-old trotting filly named I’m All In, a daughter of Revenue S out of Simply Royal, making her a half sister to his stakes-winning Thatssomebracciola.

“She’ll make her debut next month at Freehold, and we’ve got high hopes for her,” he said.

Live racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (May 12) and continues through Saturday (May 14). Post time on Thursday is 5:30 p.m. (PDT). Post time on Friday and Saturday is 6 p.m.