by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — If you’re keeping track, that’s two wins in a row and three of the last five for the Desomer Stables’ 3-year-old Power Of Art pacer Wish For Power at Cal-Expo. Considering he made an early miscue in one of those outings and just missed after a game, first-over try in another setback, it’s awfully hard to fault this sophomore.

Even though he earned his graduation papers in coast-to-coast fashion, Wish For Power has shown of late that he prefers to play the role of stalker. He added a new dimension to his game last week, as he showed that a sloppy track is right up his alley and he proved a punctual 6-5 favorite with Etienne Desomer at the helm.

“He’s done everything right from day one,” related trainer Vickie Desomer. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he continues to improve. He has a 2-year-old brother named Fancy Man who is a late starter and is training around 2:45 right now.”

Wish For Power comes about his ability quite naturally. In addition to being a son of Power Of Art, he is out of the top New Zealand racemare and producer Fancy Wishes N.

“She was a very good mare who earned $179,000 and had a 1:54.2 mark,” Vickie noted. “She was trained by the late Bob Gordon, and at the top of her game she was beating the finest mares in the country at the Meadowlands.”

Her first foal was the accomplished My Pacing Fancy, who had a 1:54 career standard and put $224,000 in the bank. She is owned by Bob Staats and is currently in foal to Moxie. Fancy Wishes N has also produced Wishcometrue and Tu Fancy For You, both of whom have paced in 1:53.2. Her next foal was Wish For Power.

Unfortunately, the Down Under import lost her life after dropping Fancy Man.

“We lost this kind and gentle mare to colic after presenting us with Fancy Man,” Desomer related. “He shows talent.”

It will be interesting to see if this youngster can carry on what has been a strong tradition for the offspring of Fancy Wishes N. Wish For Power is definitely displaying the potential to develop into something special, and Vickie sees something in Fancy Man that tells her he may have to be reckoned with when he gets to the races next year.

A view from the second tier

With winter upon us, and until further notice, horses drawing post No. 10 and above will be doing their work from the second tier. For a little insight to the significance of this change, we went to veteran pilot Jim Lackey, who came into this week with 3,126 career trips to the winner’s circle while banking over $14 million in the process.

“Now that we’re getting the winter weather, this is the right thing to do for the horses,” explained Lackey. “You basically get two kinds of tracks on the outside at this point. Either it’s hard as a rock, or it’s like mush, and it’s very unfair to a horse leaving from the 10-hole.

“Generally speaking, if I can draw the 1 through 5 post, I’d prefer to be on the gate, but it’s probably an advantage to have the second tier rather than the 6 through 9 slots in a given race. That’s especially true if it’s an off track.

“The one exception would be if you’re driving a speed horse, because the edge they have is being able to blast off the gate and get a good position, even if they have to be used a little into the first turn. That kind of horse is going to be at a disadvantage from the second tier, although there have been times a horse like that is forced to settle early and then can make a brush to the top at the quarter and it can work out.”

One thing we’ve noticed over the years is the fact that even though a horse from the second tier can follow any horse the driver chooses, very rarely do you see them work into the two-hole, even if it’s the rail who comes away smartly to make the top.

“It’s difficult to leave right up behind a horse,” Jim related. “It’s tricky for the horse, because you have to remember, they’re used to starting the race right up on the gate. Even if they’ve raced 100 times, this may be completely new to them if they haven’t had the second tier before. It’s also something the driver doesn’t experience all that many times.”

Lackey did recall one exception to the rule.

“It was of all things a first-time starter I was driving this year. He drew the second tier, so I was concerned how he would handle it, but he was right up on the horse in front of him and went a big mile. You just never know.”

Panama Hanover making an impression

Panama Hanover is off to a fast start as a sire, as from his initial crop he already has a stakes-winning colt in Monique Seibold and Team Desomer’s Big Baller and a trophy-earning filly in Lisa Pilcher’s pride and joy Betty Elizabeth.

Both of these youngsters will attempt to add to their reputations and bankrolls when they suit up this weekend in their respective $25,000 California Sire Stakes Championship events. It certainly wouldn’t hurt dad’s cause if they should pull down these rich pots.

Panama Hanover is a 9-year-old son of Muscles Yankee who raced for Lou Pena and had a 1:56.3 career standard over this track. Following his first year at stud, he was purchased by Ed McKenzie and stands at his farm.

“I bought him from the late Gary Budahn, who thought he had the potential to be a top sire,” said McKenzie. “You don’t get much better breeding these days than Muscles Yankee and this horse has the looks.”

McKenzie had been standing Jonathan Lobell at his farm prior to purchasing Panama Hanover.

“Jonathan Lobell has been a good sire, not a great one, and I ended up sending him to Ohio when I got Panama Hanover. I may be biased, but I think he’s the best sire in the state right now.”

As mentioned earlier, our subject is off to a great start with his first group to the races. Betty Elizabeth comes into the filly trotting Championship with back-to-back Sire Stakes scores with Gene Vallandingham in the bike, while Big Baller took advantage of a miscue by heavy favorite Franks Best two weeks ago and picked up his first stakes tally for the Desomers.

“I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen so far,” related McKenzie. “I’ll just have one of his for myself next year, but in 2011 I’ll have quite a few and that’s what I’m really looking forward to at this point.”

Next week’s holiday schedule will find no racing on Thursday (December 24) or Friday (December 25), with the trotters and pacers in action on Saturday and Sunday, December 26 and 27.