by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Friday’s (Nov. 27) card at Cal-Expo finds a pair of $15,000 California Sire Stakes that will go as non-betting events for the 3-year-old fillies.

Castle Oaks heads the pacing stakes. She is a homebred daughter of Hi Ho Silverheel’s and the Tyler’s Mark mare Peace Runner who carries the banner of Alan Kirschenbaum and Denise Maier with Tim Maier doing the driving and training. She has really come into her own this fall, capturing both of the big-money events for this division.

The dark-hued miss picked up her first-over trophy in the October 30 Sire Stakes, as she did the track-and-attack for perfection for Maier and posted a two length decision in 1:55.3 that evening.

Castle Oaks had a tough trip from the No. 9 slot at next asking, but returning to her winning ways in the most recent stakes gathering two weeks ago. She was able to work out a pocket journey following a trouble-filled opening quarter, stalked Silver Bloom to the lane and then exploded in the stretch to win by a half-dozen while lowering her mark to 1:55.1 in the process.

Sheila’s Dream is also attempting to continue a clean sweep of the fall stakes events in the trotting event. The Website miss is co-owned by Maurice Sigmon and George Reider, takes her lessons from Reider and will again have Rick Plano giving directions.

Sheila’s Dream has made every pole a winning one in both stakes victories at this meet. She crushed her rivals by 3-3/4 lengths in the October 30 get-together, then opened up a big lead turning for home in the most recent two weeks ago and came to the line with 2-1/4 lengths on runner-up Dani California.

Tim Maier closing in on 2,000 wins

Tim Maier got his first-ever driving win over this track, registered No. 1,000 over the same oval and now needs just six victories to reach the 2,000 win plateau.

“That first win was when I was working for Bobby Gordon and still wearing his colors,” recalled Maier. “It was a horse named Newport Flower for an old-time trainer I was helping out and it was my very first drive. I’ll never forget it.”

The 56-year-old has amassed earnings of more than $9.1 million in his career, a nice piece of that coming from Little Steven, who has parlayed being a top-class performer into a career as a successful stallion, with several of his offspring coming Tim’s way.

“Little Steven is definitely the horse that put me on the map,” Maier said. “Winning the Lloyd Arnold down at Los Alamitos with him was quite a thrill. We also won the Staley Trot down there with Mister Goal, who was another really nice horse.”

Shock And Awe tactics working

The 6-year-old pacer Shock And Awe comes into this weekend sporting a three-race winning streak, most recently getting the job done by a nose with co-owner David Siegel in the sulky.

Siegel campaigns Shock And Awe with Greg Robinson, Robert Thronson and Rebecca Floyd, and this is actually his second go-around with the son of Tulane.

“He’s a super horse, very gutsy and honest, and tries, tries, tries,” said Siegel.

“I bought him a couple of years ago and sent him back East, where he did very poorly. I bought out my partner at the time and partnered with Rebecca Floyd, who is Bernie Wolin’s significant other. When Bernie went back East, one of his owners bought me out as I really did not want to race him back there again.”

During his second tour of duty in the East, Shock And Awe fared better, although he never actually won and was eventually claimed away from Wolin.

“As the Indiana meet came to a close, the new owner dropped him in class and I claimed him back,” Siegel explained.

“He’s been a steady earner ever since. This past spring, when Bernie went to Indiana, Shock stayed home and was trained by Gilbert Herrera. Now Bernie is back, so he’s returned to him this week.”

As far as piloting the pacer, David related that he is in the sulky behind many of his horses as often as the opportunity presents itself.

“I will drive Shock And Awe 100 percent of the time that I come up to drive. Typically, I get up here every other weekend, and all weekends when we have an amateur series.

“I have to drive two hours each way and try to drive on Fridays and Saturdays when I come. When Shock’s race falls on one of those nights, which it usually does, and it’s a weekend I’m planning to come up like the last one, then I drive him.”

Pacer does it in workmanlike fashion

Hanover D G N has earned his $87,000 bank account the old-fashioned way while returning to greet his connections in the charmed circle following 25 of 115 appearances. He shows up for work once again in Sunday’s (November 29) 10th race.

Brian Solden, who is having a solid meet with 16 victories from his first 60 starts, leases and trains the 8-year-old New Zealand import. He will be gunning for his 11th snapshot on the year when he suits up this weekend.

“He’s been a great horse for us since I started leasing him in July after Lou Pena left town,” related Solden. “Richard Michael owns him and had too many horses at the time and wanted to lease out several as opposed to paying bills on all of them.

“It’s worked out great. He’s not the soundest horse in the world, but he shows up every week and gives you a max effort. Never has a driver told me after a race that Hanover got weak in the lane, or seemed a little short, anything of that sort. I’ve raced him 13 times, he’s won five, placed once and finished third four times.”

The veteran pacer has banked some $12,000 in his 13 starts for Solden, doing his work at the lower and mid-level claiming rungs.

“I’ve had him as high as a 10 claimer, but he’s dropping back down to $6,000 this week. Racing as hard as he does each week will take a toll.”

Brian also relates that the import can be a bit of a handful.

“He’s rather hot-headed on the track and when I first got him, I actually hated the nights he raced. He would kick, rear up and break crossties in the paddock. When you would hook him to the bike, you would have to wait until he was walking to the track or he would destroy the bike. After the race was worse, and he would go to the winner’s circle without the bike.”

Solden has developed a system to work with the temperamental pacer and seems to have found the key.

“He seems a lot better now. We have a routine we follow and he seems to have settled down quite a bit.

“If we don’t break that routine, he’ll return the favor by not breaking his bike, equipment or the groom’s bones. No matter what happens before the gate starts rolling, come post time he forgets all that and is strictly business. In the barn, he’s a total pet.”