Robert Corbin is enjoying his second winter at Cal Expo while sending his share of performers to the winner’s circle.
“The weather is great and we had such a good time last year we decided to come back,” explained the 61-year-old Chicago native. While Robert got his first taste of the sport in his teens through his parents, it wasn’t until six years ago that he really got involved in the game.
“My mother passed away and we wanted to have something for my father to look forward to, so we ended up buying a broodmare and eventually purchased some racehorses as well.”
A pair of $14,000 California Sire Stakes for the four-year-olds and a $6,700 Filly and Mare Open Pace are the featured attractions on Saturday’s (Feb. 27) Cal Expo program.
There will be 13 races presented under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 4:50 p.m., with one of the Sire Stakes events going as a non-betting contest prior to the regular program.
The distaff Sire Stakes goes as the fourth race and Prom Queen is coming off a victory in a dead-heat last weekend and should be well backed for owners Desomer Stables, trainer Quentin Schneider and driver Nick Roland. Taking her on are Debit Or Credit, Winhavetime, Akanay and Le Montrachet.
Allmyxsliventexas, a winner of six of his seven starts at this meet, including a start-to-finish tally last week, looks to add another photo to the scrapbook in Saturday night’s featured $6,700 Open Pace.
The main event will go as the fourth on a 13-race card presented by Watch and Wager LLC with first post set for 4:50 p.m.
Allmyxsliventexas is an eight-year-old Hi Ho Silverheels homebred who competes for Wayne and Rod Knittel, hails from the Bob Johnson shedrow and will be handled once again by Nick Roland while doing his work from the outside slot in the field of six.
Pacing fillies and mares hold the spotlight at Cal Expo Saturday evening (Jan. 30), with Velocity Mcsweets heading the marquee.
The main event goes as the fifth of 11 races presented by Watch and Wager LLC and first post is set for 5:35 p.m. (PST).
Velocity McSweets is a six-year-old McArdle mare who is owned and trained by Jennifer Sabot and will again be driven by Cordarius Stewart. She will be gunning for her 23rd snapshot from 86 trips to the post, recently went over the $200,000 mark in earnings and has a 1:52 mark that was established last year at Tioga Downs.
Following a smashing win in the Dec. 19, Joe Alto, the bay miss, had to settle for minor awards as the heavy favourite in her next two appearances. She returned to the winner’s circle last week, however, as she stormed home from off the pace to get the job done over a sloppy track.
Rockinscience, fresh from a sparkling victory for driver/trainer Luke Plano, takes on a solid cast in Saturday night’s featured $9,700 Robert Gordon Pace at Cal Expo.
Watch and Wager LLC will present 13 races with first post set for 4:55 p.m. and the main event is slotted as the eighth contest on the evening.
There are several major contenders in the Gordon line-up, with Rockinscience likely to have his share of backers as he goes for the hat trick this weekend. The four-year-old son of Rockin Image carries the banner of Nikki Hudson and Dave Haness.
After taking the measure of a softer group here on January 10, the bay performer came back last week and streaked home in :27.1 to make it two in a row while stopping the timer in 1:52.2, shaving two full seconds off his lifetime mark.