Cal Expo kicks off season Friday

Watch and Wager LLC is set to kick off its 13th year as operator of Cal Expo harness racing on Friday evening with an Open Pace featuring Allmyx’sliventexas (Hi Ho Silverheels) and Alilthundadownunda (Malak Uswaad N) and Open Trot that brings out All Champy (Explosive Matter) and Pridecrest (Angus Hall).

Following two weeks of Friday racing, the 39-night meet will be conducted on a Friday and Saturday night basis beginning Dec. 27.

First post on Friday evenings will be 6:45 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. starting time for the Saturday action.

Pridecrest is one of the most popular performers here in recent years and the Kathie Plested trainee has the cozy rail post with Mooney Svendsen doing the honors.

Set to face the trotter on Friday are Valottalove, All Champy, Lous Lancelot, Silverhill Volo and Dylan The Great.

Allmyx’sliventexas and Alilthundadownunda have both gone their share of powerful miles over this course and have been assigned the outside posts in the Open Pace.

There will also be an elimination heat for next week’s Funicello/Holt Pace for fillies and mares that kicks off the late-closing events at the meet.

Low takeout bets highlight wagering menu

Fans will find the return of three bets with a reduced 16 percent takeout rate when the trotters and pacers return to Cal Expo Friday night.

The three wagers with the reduced takeout are the 20-cent early and late Pick 5 and the 20-cent Pick 4,

The Pick 5, along with the Pick 7, will feature an 80% major/20% minor pool payout with an 80% carryover if no correct tickets are sold.

If there are no correct Pick 4 tickets, 90% will carrryover and 10% will be distributed to the most winners.

The 20-cent Hi 5, which will be conducted on the final race each night, will have a 100% carryover if no correct tickets is sold.

Looking at the stakes schedule, there will be a total of $420,000 distributed in the California Sire Stakes with $230,000 earmarked for the late closing events.

The May 2 Closing night program will feature a pair of $50,000 races for the 4-year-old pacing colts and geldings and the 4-year-old pacing fillies.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness