The $12,500 Lloyd Arnold FFA Pace that brings out Alilthundadownunda, Its Pointless and Capt Jack Hanover and a $20,000 California Sire Stakes featuring Skooch’s Valentine share the spotlight Friday evening at Cal Expo.

First post for the Watch and Wager LLC program is 6:45 p.m.

Alilthundadownunda and Its Pointless, second and third in a blanket finish behind longshot Capt Jack Hanover in lasst week’s Open Pace, get another chance to settle the score in the Arnold.

Its Pointless comes into this contest having won five of his nine starts this season, but has had to settle for minor awards in the last three outings while turning in solid efforts on each occasion.

The 8-year-old homebred son of Kent’s On Nuke carries the banner of Mark Anderson, hails from the Gordie Graham barn and will be handled by James Kennedy..

Alilthundadownunda is also having a strong year for Set The Pacing Racing LLC and driver/trainer Nick Roland, with his biggest score coming in the March 22 Arnstine Pace where he hung a length decision on Its Pointless.

Capt Jack Hanover upset both these pacers in last week’s Open, going coast-to-coast for driver/trainer John MacDonald with perfect rating as a 17-1 shot.

Looking at the Sire Stakes for pacing fillies, Skooch’s Valentine captured the most recent big-money event for this group on April 5, as she dug in gamely after taking command turning for home to prevail by a nose over DM Magic Player that night.

Skooch’s Valentine is a homebred daughter of Allamerican Merlin who races for Ronald Rettig-Zucchi and is reined and trained by Jessie Pacheco.

John MacDonald comes into the final two weeks of the meet with several ultra-sharp performers in the shedrow.

Among MacDonald’s driving and training wins last week were Open Trot victor Valottalove; Open Pace upsetter Capt Jack Hanover and the streaking Tommy Shelby.

Valottalove has established himself as the king of the trotters with three straight impressive victories, including the Gary Budahn last month and a sizzling eight-length score in last weekend’s Open Trot with a 1:54 1/5 final clocking.

That makes the son of Love You the favorite for the Stan Bergstein Trot, which will be decided on closing night, Friday, May 2.

Capt Jack Hanover was the longest price on the board in last week’s Open Pace, but MacDonald put them to sleep on the front end.

He then had enough left to hold safe in a blanket finish over divisional kingpins Alilthundadownunda and Its Pointless.

Meanwhile, Tommy Shelby is proving to be one of the best claims in recent memory with a five-race win streak in tow that has seen him go coast-to-coast in back-to-back 1:52 4/5 tours of Cal Expo.

The $30,000 Bill Vallandingham Pace, luring the dynamic duo of Divine Art and Graceful Horizon; and a $20,000 California Sire Stakes headed by The Minnesota Kid get top billing Saturday night at Cal Expo.

Watch and Wager LLC will present 11 races on the penultimate card of the meet with things getting underway at 6:51 p.m.

Divine Art is going in razor-sharp form at the moment for her owner/driver/trainer Gerry Longo with four trips to the winner’s circle from her last five starts.

The 8-year-old Outrageous Art mare, who has 41 victories from her 108 career appearances, accounted for the Alan Kirschenbaum on April 5 and turned in a sensational mile to capture last week’s Kirk Breed after making a power brush to the lead down the backstretch.

Graceful Horizon looms the main rival as she eyes her seventh snapshot from 13 trips to the post this year for Set The Pacing Racing LLC and driver/trainer Nick Roland.

Her most recent tally came two weeks ago in the Open as she was able to carve out some modest fractions and was able to hold safe over a charging Divine Art that evening.

In the Sire Stakes, The Minnesota Kid is a son of Karpathian Kid out of the Camluck mare Docdor Libby who is owned by Stephanie Ann Longo, takes his lessons from Jose Castillo and will be guided by Luke Plano. He is looking to make a clean sweep of the stakes events for the 3-year-old pacing colts.

Next Friday, May 2, will be the final night of this Cal Expo harness meet, with mandatory payouts in all wagers and a quartet of big-money events.

The best Diamond Horse Alliance pacers on the grounds will do battle in the $30,000 Alan Horowitz, while the trotting crown will be on the line in the $12,500 Stan Bergstein.

There will also be a pair of $50,000 California Sire Stakes for the 4-year-old pacers highlighting the getaway program.

The sensational Overthemoonforyou, who comes into this week having won 13 of her 14 starts and the meet, will attempt a clean sweep of the big money events for the pacing mares.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Status has been dominating his peers among the males and will be looking to add another trophy to the case.

It promises to be an outstanding evening of trotting and pacing.