by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — After a bit of a dry spell, Taxi Dancer got back on the winning track last week at Cal-Expo for owner Robin Clements, trainer Vickie Desomer and pilot Etienne Desomer, recording her 23rd lifetime score, including 17 over the last two seasons.

At first glance, the name Taxi Dancer doesn’t jump off the page with dad being Givemewhatineed and mom being the New Zealand mare Catalao, but Clements explained.

“She was bred by the Desomers, and Vickie went from the dam Catalao to Catting Around, which led her to Taxi Dancer.

“A lot of people may not know this unless they have some age on them, but Taxi Dancer referred to the dance halls they had during the World War. The soldiers would pay 10 cents a dance and the women were known as Taxi Dancers.”

The four-legged Taxi Dancer is a half-sister to Cat Burglar and Cat Call and follows a special schedule that saw her capturing 10 of her 43 starts in 2008, including her 1:55.4 mark, while closing out her 2009 campaign with a 7-for-38 record.

“My normal routine with Taxi is that she stays at the Desomer farm with her pasture buddy and next door stall mate Tutiming Gal,” related Clements. “She isn’t fond of the racetrack, and when she’s there, she’ll dig a hole to China. I used to have to line her stall with mats to keep her from digging a foot and a half hole.

“She typically will go on the jog machine, which holds up to six horses towed by our truck. She jogs five miles and then gets turned out in a grass field with Tutiming Gal every day. I will train her once a week, usually at the farm.”

This pattern was turned upside down over the past few weeks due to the rains, but it all worked out nicely as Taxi Dancer did the stalk-and-pounce to perfection for Etienne last week and pulled away for a 1-1/2 length score.

“Tien likes to say that when she’s good, she’s good, and when she’s not …” Robin said with a smile. “I guess you could say I spoil her, but she’s repaid me with 17 of her 23 wins.”

All hail the returning trotter

Claudius Augustus is back, which is good news for fans that enjoy watching a quality trotter, and nobody is more pleased to see the newly turned 6-year-old back in California than trainer Bob Johnson.

The Debra Budahn color-bearer, who has won 14 of his 32 starts with $185,000 in the bank and a 1:53.3 career standard, spent the summer in the Midwest. He established his mark while winning an Open Trot at Indiana Downs in September, made a stakes appearance at Lexington in October and then returned to Cal-Expo and finished a solid second to Cherry Tree Luke in the most recent local clash at the head of the trotting class three weeks ago.

“It’s nice to have him back,” said Johnson. “I was able to watch the race at Indiana Downs when he won the Open and set that mark, and he was real strong. The key is just keep him safe, sound and happy. As far as not having raced since that last one here, everybody is pretty much in the same position.”

Can she make it 10 in-a-row?

Nobody finished up 2009 any more impressively than Denise and Tim Maier’s pacing distaffer One More Molly, who rattled off nine straight victories to finish the season.

Through some fine driving by Tim, One More Molly had worked out pocket journeys to get the job done in her victories between November 19 and December 10, including a 1:54.4 lifetime-best tour, then came from well back to prevail at most recent asking on December 18 while leaving from the outside post.

The bay miss will attempt to extend the winning streak to double figures in Saturday night’s (January 2) 13th race, where she will again have to overcome the outside slot in a field of nine.

Hernandez factor in Super High 5’s

Chris Hernandez figures to have a say in both of Sunday night’s (January 3) Super High 5 races, as he will be represented by AZ Mutanto in the third event on the evening and has Doubleblackdiamond in action in the eighth race.

“I’ve only had AZ Mutanto for a short time,” Hernandez explained. “She’s owned by my daughter, Jaime Maria De La Rosa, and when she bought him he was coming off an injury and is just starting to get back into form.

“He’s one of the biggest horses I’ve ever worked with, and once he came into the barn I had to buy a very big bike for him and modify all the equipment he wears. For such a big horse, though, he’s one of the most gentle I’ve ever had. He’s in a very competitive race Sunday, but with a little luck he has a good shot to win.”

Hernandez drives and trains Doubleblackdiamond in the other Super High 5 race, and this 11-year-old is owned by his wife of 34 years, Kerrie Lynn. The son of Cam’s Card Shark has 31 wins, a 1:53.1 mark and is just shy of reaching the $100,000 earnings plateau.

“This is a horse with a lot of heart,” related Chris, who most recently guided him to victory on December 18. “He’s also in a very competitive field with two horses leaving from the second tier. With some luck, he can be right there at the wire.”

In all, the Hernandez barn will have a half-dozen performers in action on Sunday night’s 13-race program.

“We’ll be trying to start the new year off with a good night of racing for our stable,” Chris said.

In addition to the two Super High 5 opportunities, Sunday night’s 13-race program will also feature exactas and trifectas on every race, six superfecta events, three Pick 4’s, four Pick 3’s and a pair of daily doubles.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Friday (January 1) and continues through Sunday (January 3) while next week sees a return to the regular Thursday through Sunday night schedule. Post time on Friday and Saturday is at 5:35 p.m. (PST). Sunday has a special early post time of 4:50 p.m.