by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — A pair of $15,000 California Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old fillies head the Friday night (April 23) action at Cal-Expo, with One Hot Tamale seeking her fourth trophy in the pacing event, while Exquisite Gem will be attempting a big-money encore in the trotting contest.

One Hot Tamale is a homebred daughter of Distinigushedbaron who carries the banner of Wayne Knittel with Rick Plano doing the driving and training. She won two of the four stakes for her division last year, and narrowly prevailed over the fast-closing Just Plum Lucky in the first added-money affair of the season two weeks ago.

The bay miss picked up her first stakes score over a sloppy track on November 20, parlaying a pocket trip into a nearly four length victory. She set her lifetime standard of 1:55.4 in the next stakes dance on December 4, going coast to coast that evening in a 9-1/2 length romp. She was runner-up to So Relentless in the final big-money race of last year.

With just a qualifier on her 2010 resume coming into the Spring round of Sire Stakes action two weeks ago, One Hot Tamale was hard used early and again to the final bend, but gamely battled it out the length of the stretch to hold safe by a nose over Just Plum Lucky as the even-money choice.

The latter is a Power Of Art offspring who is owned and was bred by Rick and Marlene Thomas, takes her lessons from George Reider and will have Luke Plano again at the controls. She put in a big finish in her first stakes attempt and just fell short of posting an upset that evening, then returned last week to earn her graduation papers from a tough post.

Rounding out the field are Gee Up with Etienne Desomer; RW Island Spirit and Kennedy Lindsey; Serengeti Sunset for Steve Hyman; Upcoming Prospect and Steve Wiseman; Amazon Dot with James Lackey; and So Relentless with John Chappell.

Looking at the trotting event, which will go as a non-betting race prior to the regular program, Betty Elizabeth was the star of the division last season with three stakes tallies, but she had to be happy with third money two weeks ago in the first 2010 added-money clash as Exquisite Gem got the job done in a surprise.

The latter is by Armbro Lothario and competes for Georgette, MJ and Sal Wenceslao with Raul Escobedo the conditioner and John Chappell once again giving directions. Betty Elizabeth looks to return to her winning ways for the combination of owner/trainer/breeder Lisa Pilcher and driver Gene Vallandingham.

“Betty Elizabeth spent her winter training twice a week, jogging at the track twice a week, twice a week at home on her Eurociser and then one day off in her paddock at home,” Pilcher related. “I felt she worked very hard to get her third place finish last time. She’s a game filly and a pleasure to work with.”

Completing the line-up are Lily Of Lodi with Rick Plano; Cash Creek for Tim Maier; and Acapluco Gold with Rocky Stidham.

Sire Stakes also highlight Saturday program

Saturday’s program (April 24) is headed by two $15,000 California Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old pacing and trotting colts.

Franks Best is the clear leader among the sophomore trotting males, having captured four of the five stakes races decided for this division. Bob Johnson owns, trains and bred this son of Armbro Scribe and Chip Lackey has a return assignment.

Franks Best crushed his rivals in coast-to-coast fashion in three of last year’s four added-money contests, with his only setback coming in the December 5 gathering where he made a break while on the lead. He made no mistakes in that initial stakes event of the season two weeks ago, opening a clear lead at the half and going on to a nearly five length decision for Lackey.

Looking for an upset are The Writers Stuff for Rocky Stidham; Online Charger with Steve Wiseman; Proxy for Tim Maier; Big Baller with Steve Desomer; and Bobby Baccala with Rick Plano.

Dancing Barry will be looking to pick up his fourth stakes trophy in the pacing event for owner/breeder Wayne Knittel and driver/trainer Rick Plano. He accounted for the first two big-money events for this group last fall, going coast-to-coast in both of those, then had to settle for the second money in the final two big-money jousts behind barnmate Hi Ho Steverino and Power Broker.

Making his seasonal debut in the first round of 2010 Sire Stakes action two weeks ago, the son of Distinguishedbaron made every pole a winning one with his conditioner in the bike, holding sway by three-quarters of a length over Hi Ho Steverino that evening. The placings were reversed in an overnighter last week and Luke Plano will once again guide Hi Ho Steverino, who races for Rod Knittel and gives the Plano barn two strong looks at the outcome.

“I’d say these two are pretty equal in ability right now,” Luke Plano related when asked about his dad’s dynamic duo. “Last year Dancing Barry had the edge, because he could leave the gate like an aged horse, but Hi Ho Steverino had some issues behind the gate. He’s grown up this year, though, and he’s caught up to the other maturity-wise.”

In that first stakes clash of the season on April 10, Dancing Barry was able to set some modest fractions and then sprinted home smartly to hold off his pocket-sitting barnmate, while last week it was Hi Ho Steverino who showed the way into the stretch and got the job done.

“When I came out at the top of the lane in that stakes, I thought I had more pace, but we wouldn’t catch him,” said Plano. “Looking at it now, it was a very good comeback race for both of them. Last week, a few changes were made to his equipment, including the bridle. Both horses came home equally strong down the stretch, but the difference was that time we were able to get the jump.”

Taking on the duo are Power Broker and Art Deco from the Vickie Desomer shedrow and the Tim Maier-trained Amigo De Garcia. The contest will go as a non-betting race prior to the regular program.