by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Rich Wojcio is expected to be out from eight to 12 weeks after suffering a concussion, a broken left arm and facial injuries in a spill at Cal-Expo while driving GH Jasmin last Saturday night (Jan. 9).

“I don’t remember a thing about the race, just waking up and being all banged up,” said the 49-year-old Wojcio. “It’s the worst accident I’ve had in 34 years of driving, and I’m just grateful that I’m able to talk to you and that nobody else was hurt. My son, Rich Jr., flew in from Texas that same night and is here to help me with my recovery.”

Wojcio, who shifted his base from the East Coast to California several years ago, has won 3,632 races in his career with over $21 million in earnings.

Conrad doubles his pleasure

Last Friday night saw trainer Chris Conrad winning with two classy pacing mares, as Zoom Past You hung a nose on Don’t Tempt Me in the Open with Lemoyne Svendsen at the controls while Jason Ricco guided the barn’s Forever Showin Off to a convincing victory in a conditioned affair.

Ricco was handling Forever Showin Off for the second time since her arrival from the Midwest. Sent off at 3-1 in a contentious line-up, the 6-year-old mare did the track and attack to perfection and won going away by 3-1/2 lengths.

“She obviously appreciated the class drop for that last one, and Chris told me she had been training really well. I went into the race with a lot of confidence,” said Ricco.

“We could have pulled at any time, but I just decided to bide my time and she came home very strong. If I would have asked her, I think she could have come a :26.3 final quarter. I appreciate that Chris had the confidence to let me drive a mare like this,” he said.

Here’s looking at you, kid

The 6-year-old pacing mare Looking at You turned things around nicely in her most recent tour while returning a cool $39 to her backers. She did it the hard way, in game, first-over fashion with Luke Plano at the controls.

Brian Solden trains the dark-hued performer for John Darrah, and while he wasn’t totally surprised she got the job done, he admits his confidence was a bit diminished when she drew the next to outside slot in a field of nine at entry time.

“I had a feeling she was going to start doing better,” Solden related. “But I thought it would happen when she got an inside post. The race one back she did have a good post, but it was over a sloppy track.

“Even though she’s won on the front end, she doesn’t have all that much speed away from there. I talked to Luke before the race, and from an outside post we figured she’d have to come from off the pace. I really thought she earned the win the other night, because it’s not like she had a pocket trip or was second-over.

“I don’t know the exact numbers, but I’d guess that Luke has won about half the time he’s driven her. It’s pretty obvious they get along great and he deserves plenty of credit.”

Solden currently conditions nine performers, including a pair for Darrah.

“John is a great owner who really loves the sport. He doesn’t push the panic button when a horse isn’t winning, and he lets me do what I have to do.”

Darrah’s best-known charge is the sensational pacing mare Flirtiscape, owned in partnership with Nick Ruscigno and Lawrence Keethe and currently back East with trainer Lou Pena. The daughter of Artiscape was a dominating presence here early last year and then headed to the East Coast where she was a 1:49.4 victress at the Meadowlands.

Betty Elizabeth gets back to work

Lisa Pilcher reports that her multiple stakes-winning 2-year-old filly trotter Betty Elizabeth has returned to training this week after getting a three-week sabbatical.

The homebred daughter of Panama Hanover and the Sacramento mare Eggcellent was runner-up in the first stakes dance for her division in November, then captured the next three big-money events in impressive fashion with Gene Vallandingham in the sulky.

Owner/breeder/trainer Pilcher explained that the youngster carries the name of both of Lisa’s grandmothers.

“Both were Elizabeth and fondly called Betty by family members and close friends,” she explained.

Pilcher knew from the very beginning that she had something special on her hands in this distaffer.

“At three weeks old, she started to show her athletic ability by trotting circles around her peers. Later on as a yearling, she displayed her leadership skills by taking charge of the pasture, just as her mother does by being leading mare.”

Unlike mom, however, Betty Elizabeth is a cool customer on the racetrack.

“Her dam had a nervous, competitive nature, but this filly has displayed a calm demeanor. She actually makes things pretty easy for me. She has natural gate speed, wears very little equipment, loves her job and enjoys her life at the farm.”

Betty Elizabeth, who obviously wrapped up divisional honors with her trio of stakes decisions, will now be geared up for the next round of added-money competition in hopes of becoming the 3-year-old champion.

One More Molly puts streak on line

One More Molly, who is currently tied with the longest winning streak among active harness horses in North America, shoots for her 12th straight victory in Sunday night’s (Jan. 17) second race.

The contest is designed for distaff pacers carrying base claiming prices of $8,000 down to $6,000 and One More Molly will leave from the outside slot in the field of six as she attempts to make it a dozen snapshots in a row.

The 5-year-old daughter of Hi Ho Silverheel’s is owned by Denise Maier, who co-bred the distaffer with Alan Kirschenbaum, and is reined and trained by Tim Maier. One More Molly’s 11 straight wins ties her with the Canadian filly pacer Meridan Magic, who closed out her 2-year-old campaign with 11 straight and has yet to make her sophomore debut.

Last year saw a 12-race winning streak in harness racing, as the brilliant trotter Muscle Hill went undefeated and likely wrapped up Horse of the Year honors in the process in one of the most impressive campaigns in recent memory.

If One More Molly can get the job done this weekend, she will join former stablemate Smooth Jazz for the longest winning streak under the Team Maier banner. That trotter started her career with 12 victories, all in Sire Stakes events.

Last week’s extension of the skein was by far the closest call for One More Molly during this impressive run of tallies. She was hard used early before settling into the two-hole, was back out and moving turning for home, took a clear advantage at mid-stretch and then held safe by a head over Stick Up, with Wicked Beach only a neck back in third that evening. Both of those mares will be in the line-up this weekend, along with Trishie Mae, Get Ready To Rumba and Beach Beach Beach.

“They were both coming at her from either side and I was concerned in deep-stretch, but she was able to hold on by the hair on her chinny chin chin,” said Tim Maier.

Denise Maier has said repeatedly during this streak that One More Molly has been the most pleasant of surprises after starting her career in non-descript fashion with nine wins from 81 starts while doing her work at the lower levels.

“She was just an easy-going mare who had raced okay up to that point,” Denise related. “Tim and I are as surprised as anybody that she’s been able to do this, because she didn’t seem to have the winning spirit. I can’t say that we found anything new about her, she’s just racing very well.”

There will be two more Sunday programs here, then beginning Jan. 27, Cal-Expo will be vacating Sunday racing and switching to a Wednesday through Saturday night schedule.

That January 27 program will also be the first leg of the Midweek Madness Handicapping Contest, coming to a wagering California facility near you. The contest will feature $10,000 in prizes, with the second leg on Wednesday, February 3 and the finale on Wednesday, February 10. Stay tuned for more details.