by Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Ruel (Dude) Goodblood, Jr., who came into this week with 4,236 trips to the winner’s circle, is enjoying his first venture to Cal-Expo.

USTA photo

Dude Gloodblood is racing for the first time at Cal-Expo.

Along with his wife Whitney, he has brought four horses with him, including the 11-year-old Theatre Production. That trotter pushed his bank account to $264,000 with last week’s victory and is set to take on a tougher crew in Friday night’s (March 12) main event.

Dude, as he likes to be known, got the nickname at an early age.

“I was Ruel, Jr., but there was already someone in the family known as Junior, so my mom and dad starting calling me Dude and it stuck,” he explained.

“My father was a woodsman by trade, then he got into harness racing back in New England in the 1960s when he was past 30,” Goodblood explained. “For me, I knew I wanted to be in this sport the first time I ever touched a horse’s head, which is when I was about 6 years old.”

Dude won some 2,900 of his races while competing on the half-mile tracks in Maine between 1974 and 1994, and also has landed in the charmed enclosures of most of the major tracks in the East.

“Theatre Production would have to be my favorite horse,” he explained. “We’ve had him since he was just a yearling. He won two legs of the (Hiram) Woodruff and two legs of the Horse and Groom at the Meadowlands, and he set a world record for a mile and a quarter at Colonial Downs.”

Goodblood also noted that his wife Whitney has her ‘A’ license and will likely be seen in action here in the sulky some night before they head back to the East for the summer. He also made a point to say how much they appreciate the warmer temperatures, something we always hear from visitors.

Go together like horse and carriage

Some things are just great together, like peanut butter and jelly, and you can include the 5-year-old Rod’s Famous Ribs and driver Lemoyne Svendsen on that list.

The pacer, who is owned by Pamela Mitchell in partnership with trainer Bob Johnson, made a dozen trips to the winner’s circle last season and Svendsen was along for the ride on 11 of those occasions.

This dynamic duo is coming off a narrow defeat at the hands of Pacific Admiral last week in a needed effort, and they join forces once again in Saturday night’s (March 13) co-feature where they figure to get plenty of respect at the windows.

“He’s one of my favorites, no question,” related Svendsen when asked about the son of Hi Ho Silverheel’s. “He’s an absolute Cadillac to drive, because he can leave a hundred, but you can also take him back with two fingers. The bottom line is that he’s all racehorse.”

In his most recent tour, which marked his first start in three weeks, Rod’s Famous Ribs came from last with a :27 final quarter and came within three-quarters of a length of getting to the hard-knocking Pacific Admiral in that 1:52.4 mile.

“Even though he didn’t win, I would have to say that’s the best race he’s ever gone for me,” Svendsen praised. “From where we were at the three-quarters, I would have been happy to just hit the board, and he almost won.

“I called him a Cadillac before, but on that night he was finishing the race like a Ferrari. Pacific Admiral is a very nice horse, but he got the jump on us and we just ran out of ground.”

While the latter is taking on Frankyluvsmeatbals this weekend in the Open Pace, Rod’s Famous Ribs and Svendsen suit up in an optional $20,000 claimer that finds them facing stablemate Ivegotwhatuneed, the tough-as-nails mare Sintillating, Ideally Magic, Star Time Kid and At Last. It should be interesting.

For the next three weeks at Cal-Expo, you can experience the thrill of riding in the starting gate during a race when you make a donation to the V Foundation, named for the late North Carolina basketball coach Jim Valvano.

Sign-ups will be at the paddock on a first come, first serve basis, with two people joining starter Bill Vallandingham and driver Kenny Fowler for each race in what is guaranteed to be both exciting and educational.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday (March 11) and continues through Saturday (March 13). Post time on Thursday is at 5:25 p.m. (PST). Post time on Friday (March 12) is at 5:55 p.m. Post time on Saturday is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.