by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal Expo Harness

Sacramento, CA — Silverlode left little doubt in last week’s opening leg of the Joe Lighthill Trotting Series, making 6-5 look like an early Christmas gift as the Desomer Stable homebred romped by seven lengths in a lifetime best 1:58 clocking.

The victory put the 4-year-old daughter of British Sterling over the $71,000 earnings plateau and she is likely to attract plenty of attention at the windows once again with veteran Steve Desomer back in the sulky as the series continues Friday night.

“She’s out of a divisional champion in Charlottes Web, who in turn is out of a great producing mare One To Top,” trainer Vickie Desomer related. “That makes her and High Dollar, who raced in the other division last week, uncle and niece. This time they get to race against each other.”

What would make winning this series even sweeter for the Desomers is the fact that it is named for the legendary Joe Lighthill, who passed away in 2006. He was a mainstay in California for decades and was associated as a driver and/or trainer with such outstanding performers as Kerry Way, Countess Adios, Tender Loving Care, Hickory Pride, Peter Lobell, Try Scotch and BC Count.

“Joe was the consummate horseman and a good friend,” Desomer said. “Time and time again Steve and I relied on him to get our young green horses safely around the track and he always did just that. He was truly one of the greats, not just in California, but across the nation.”

For the record, Steve Desomer turned 77 years young in July and is still guiding winners into the charmed enclosure. He comes into this week’s action with 2,607 victories from his 12,686 career trips to the post with more than $10.8 million in earnings.

“By the way, we’re trying to be retired people,” Desomer noted. “It’s just not working out very well!”

It’s definitely performers like Silverlode that keep Vickie and Steve coming back for more, and it’s easy to understand.