by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and Franks Best has had to wait some five months to get his in Saturday night’s (Oct. 30) California Sire Stakes for the sophomore trotting colts.

Bob Johnson’s homebred has prevailed in seven of his 17 lifetime appearances, with six of those victories in added-money competition, and as a result is the richest member of the cast with $63,000 in the bank.

When last seen in a big-money dance, Franks Best was 30 cents on the dollar back on May 22 and appeared to be cruising to victory with a three length lead at midstretch. Suddenly and for no apparent reason, he made a break and ended a distant second behind barn-mate Online Charger.

“He just seemed to lose concentration and jumped it off that night, which has happened to him a couple of times before,” Johnson explained. “We gave him the summer off and he’s come back well with three races to get him ready. I scratched him last week so we could do some work on him.”

While Johnson likes the chances of Franks Best, he isn’t taking anything for granted.

“It’s never a given in a stakes race. My other horse Online Charger trotted in 1:59 and change last week and he’s coming up to this the best he’s ever been, and it looks like the Desomer horse Big Baller is going to be a player.”

Johnson will also be represented in the stakes event for the pacing colts with Lily’s Hi Ho, who is taking a leap in class for this assignment. The son of Hi Ho Silverheel’s, who had been coming from off the pace in his tries, dropped in company for last week’s tour and ended up going coast-to-coast for Lemoyne “Mooney” Svendsen in a solid 1:56.4 performance.

“I wouldn’t have considered trying him in the stakes before last week’s mile, but he showed a lot of guts that night with Mooney and he seems to be a late bloomer. After that race, I think he deserves the chance.”

Sire Stakes, Open Pace share Saturday spotlight

Two $15,000 California Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old trotters and pacers; an Open Pace headed by Split Ticket and stablemates Livin It Up and Cowboy Hanover; and the second leg of the Desmond series are the featured events on Saturday night’s 14-race program.

The pacing stakes brings out an extremely contentious field of eight, with Amigo De Garcia and Lucky Peterson among those expected to get serious tote consideration. Amigo De Garcia is an Alan Kirshenbaum homebred son of Little Steven who is reined and trained by Tim Maier.

He accounted for the most recent stakes gathering for this group back in late May, crushing the field that night, and has a real nice foundation in his five appearances at the current meet. He established his 1:56.4 mark this summer at Running Aces and will be dangerous with his top mile.

Lucky Peterson is by Power Of Art and is owned and trained by Mark Anderson with Steve Wiseman at the controls. He was a sparkling 1:53 and change victor in a BC Sale Stakes up at Fraser Downs earlier this month and should be much tighter after last week’s return effort over this layout.

Rick Plano has a dangerous pair of previous stakes winners in Dancing Barry, who carries the banner of Wayne Knittel and has his trainer in the bike and Hi So Steverino, who races for Rod Knittel with Luke Plano guiding from the outside post.

The field is completed by the entry of Art Deco (Steve Desomer) and Power Broker (Steve Wiseman); Gutsy Winds Ahead (Scott Cisco); and Lily’s Hi Ho (Mooney Svendsen).

The trotting stakes is headed by Franks Best, who has been the dominating player in the division over the last year. Bob Johnson owns, trains and bred the son of Armbro Scribe and Lemoyne Svendsen has the assignment. He will face barnmate Online Charger with Steve Wiseman; Big Baller, Steve Desomer; Proxy for Tim Maier; and Bobby Baccala with Luke Plano.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday (Oct. 28) and continues through Saturday (Oct. 30). Post time on Thursday is at 6 p.m. (PDT). Post time on Friday (Oct. 29) is at 6:05 p.m. Approximate post-time on Saturday is 5:45 p.m.