by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — The third round of California Sire Stakes action for the 3-year-olds will take place this weekend at Cal-Expo, with a pair of $15,000 events for the fillies on Friday (May 8) and two $15,000 contests for the colts holding the spotlight on Saturday’s (May 9) program.

Among the colts, Pacinello is clearly the leader of the pacing set with a pair of dominating victories at the head of the class this season, while Credit Score has likewise been much the best in his trotting division.

Pacinello is a son of Little Steven who is owned and was bred by D&E Racing Stable with Rick Plano doing the driving and training. He had to be happy with slices last season behind the division leader Glad To Be Back, but with that rival on the East Coast he has taken over the top spot. He has rattled off four straight victories, including two stakes scores, and has put his class and versatility on display in the process.

Credit Score is a Website homebred from the Bob Johnson barn who races for the partnership of Bruce Clarke, Jack Coffey, Jack Toth and Heath Knolls Investments. He has recorded three stakes wins with Clarke in the bike, and added a fourth last month with Rich Wojcio doing the honors.

Looking at the filly pacers, Silver Bloom was last year’s champion after winning three of the four stakes clashes, but had to settle for a fourth-place finish in the initial big-money clash last month. She returned to her wining ways in the last gathering two weeks ago, as Rick Plano zoomed her right to the top while going on to waltz home by 5-1/2 lengths while lowering her career standard to 1:54.4 in the process. The Hi Ho Silverheel’s offspring is owned and was bred by Wayne Knittel.

Among the distaff trotters, Firewall was last season’s champ and like Silver Bloom she had to be happy with a minor award in the first stakes meeting this year before rebounding with a smart score two weeks ago with the big money on the line in a lifetime-best 1:59.3 clocking. Rich Wojcio guides the Website filly, who carries the banner of her owner/breeder Jack Coffey and takes her lessons from Bob Johnson.

Maxalax looks to extend her streak

Maxalax will be gunning for her fourth straight victory and 33rd score of her career when she suits up Thursday night (May 7) for the Bada Bing Stable and Owen Eiler, and for trainer Frank Petrelli and driver Steve Wiseman.

A stakes victress in her younger days, Maxalax has $137,000 in her bank account and a 1:54.1 mark that was established three years ago. Petrelli is quick to point out that a good deal of this pacer’s success is due to pilot Wiseman and her caretaker Thelma Hernandez.

“After she won here back in November, she came out of it real sore and I actually didn’t think she’d ever make it back to the races,” Frank explained. “We thought about breeding her, but the owners wanted to give her every chance to get back and that’s where her caretaker really made the difference.

“Every day it was ice and cold water, cold water and ice, around the clock. It’s a tribute to Thelma that Maxalax has returned to the races and it makes the wins even sweeter.”

The 7-year-old daughter of Denali comes into this week’s action having posed for pictures five times from her dozen starts on the year, with four runner-up finishes and a third. In last week’s victory, she flew home in :27.1 to be up in the final stride for Wiseman as the odds-on choice.

“The thing I really like about Steve is that he drives a horse for the horse, not the race, and that’s what she needs now,” Petrelli said. “She’s never going to be what she was, so I want to be careful not to put her in too tough.”

Things going according to plan

Cam’s Accord is going in sharp form at the moment for owner Robert Bacon, trainer Lou Pena and driver Jim Lackey, with a smart win two weeks ago and a close third in last week’s Open Pace.

The 6-year-old Cam’s Card Shark offspring sat a stalking trip for Lackey two back to prevail, then carved out much of the pace after being hung out early in the most recent Open and gave way grudgingly to be beaten just a length by Split Ticket.

“We claimed the horse back in October,” Pena related. “He had some back class and it didn’t seem like he was really clicking for his connections at the time.”

Cam’s Accord has proved best in four of his 16 starts on the year and is no stranger to getting the job done at this top level. His mentor was asked about strategy with this performer.

“I don’t give too many instructions, because you can plot a course, but it rarely turns out that way. Plus there are some many things that can happen when that gate starts rolling.”

Lou has actually been in New Jersey of late with his razor-sharp pacing mare Flirtiscape, who currently sports a four-race winning streak. The 5-year-old daughter of Artiscape beat the girls here twice before handling the best males on the grounds, then headed for the Meadowlands and kept the streak alive as the heavy favorite in a conditioned affair last weekend.

“It was pretty much a last-minute decision, and we’ll just see how it goes,” related Pena.

Flirtiscape was handled by David Miller in last week’s score and is bedded down in the Ross Croghan shedrow. She is set to return to action in Friday night’s ninth race at the Big M.

Memorial service on Saturday for Dr. Gary Budahn

There will be a memorial service for Dr. Gary Budahn, who passed away last week at the age of 58, on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. (PDT) at the W.F. Gormley and Sons Funeral Home at 2015 Capitol Ave. in Sacramento. The Budahn family invites you to celebrate his life with a reception to follow in the Cal-Expo clubhouse.

Saturday night will feature the Gary Budahn Memorial Trot, the Wilder Echo Open and Doodlin Open. The latter two events are named for two of the best performers to campaign under the banner of Gary and his wife Debbi’s The Gusty Stable.