by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Tom Parris, 77 years young, will be competing in Saturday night’s (September 11) opening leg of the TVG Amateur Driver’s series with the 7-year-old mare Dixie Ridge, who campaigns for Tom and his wife Janet.

“I’ve been around her since the day she was foaled on Keith Willey’s farm, and we have the same birthday, April 26,” Parris informed. “I actually bought her as a yearling and I’ve had her ever since.”

Dixie Ridge may not have set the world on fire, banking just over $20,000 with a 1:57.1 mark from two years ago, but she’s pretty special around the Parris household and does come into the series off a near-miss to heavily-favored Steady As A Rock in last week’s outing.

“She’s the only horse I have right now and you could say she’s as much a pet as anything else,” Parris said. “She can be pretty finicky. Because of that, she gets an awful lot of extra care, but it helps keep me young.”

Dixie Ridge loves life on the farm, which is where she spends six days out of every racing week, but takes on a different attitude when she gets to the track.

“She’ll ship in the morning of her race, and once she gets to the track she’ll start sulking. When she gets on the track and it’s time to race, she perks up, and then when it’s over she can’t wait to get back home.”

Dixie Ridge will see action in the first of two divisions of the opening leg of the series, going as the seventh race on Saturday’s program. She leaves from the middle of the gate in what should be a very contentious affair.

Boyce also sets sights on TVG Amateur Series

Sue Boyce comes into Saturday’s first leg of the TVG Amateur Series as the point leader, having accounted for the finale of the spring counterpart back in May with Big Guy Two Win from the demanding No. 10 post.

Boyce was the lone female pilot in the spring series and is joined this time around in that department by Karen Isbell. She was asked about being a woman in harness racing.

“In the equestrian arena of sports, women are able to compete on a more equal level, and it seems there are even more women in harness racing than thoroughbreds.”

Boyce won the opening leg of the last series with Big Guy Two Win, finished second the next week with this pacer and then scored a 6-1 decision in the finale back in May while overcoming the extreme outside slot.

“The spring series was exciting and the horses were very competitive,” she said. “I look for the same tough racing in the series coming up. The owners and trainers of the horses who entered are supporting California racing at its finest.”

California Amateur Driving Club president David Siegel echoed Boyce’s sentiments.

“An $8,000 final is a lot of money for horses that typically go for $2,000 purses,” he said. “I expect exciting, competitive races with higher than average wagering. It is wonderful that management and the CHHA continue to support the amateur club’s efforts to bring variety to our program.”

The first division of this opening leg will go as the seventh race on the program with eight pacers, including an entry, while seven will go postward in the second division, which is carded as the 11th race.

All horses in the first leg are eligible to be claimed for a base price of $2,500 this time around, while that moves up to $3,000 next week, followed by no claiming from the finale. That September 24 race is expected to be worth $8,000, which is a pretty nice pot for these blue-collar performers.

TVG is a proud sponsor of the Amateur Driver’s series and TrackMaster is supporting the event by giving away free programs and selections. They can be found at www.trackmaster.com/calx.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday (September 9) and continues through Saturday (September 11). Post time on Thursday is at 6:15 p.m. (PDT). Post time on Friday (September 10) is at 6:20 p.m. Post time on Saturday is 6:50 p.m. Now on Saturdays, Cal-Expo will offer a reduced 15 percent takeout rate on both the Early and Late Pick-4 wagers with the Late Pick-4 having a $10,000 gross guaranteed pool.