A $7,200 Filly and Mare Open Pace and two eliminations for the Bill Conlin Pace get the marquee treatment Saturday evening at Cal Expo.

Harness racing has returned to this oval with Friday and Saturday night action and there will be an 11-race program Saturday with first post set for 4:55 p.m.

Looking at the Filly/Mare Open, Velocity Mcsweets will certainly be one of the major players for the Jennifer Sabot shedrow.

The hard-hitting distaffer prepped for this contest last weekend, checking in second behind the classy Allmyx’sliventexas in a 1:56 3/5 qualifier which should have her ready to rock and roll with James Kennedy guiding from the outside post in the field of seven.

Looking to keep her from the winner’s circle Saturday are Marys Pretty Girl with Phil Knox; Bettor Lady, Mooney Svendsen; Brighten Your Life for Jacob Cutting; Royal Mistress, Kevin Anderson; Bertha Vanation, Nick Roland; and Delightfully Wild with Luke Plano in the sulky.

The main even will be decided as the sixth race on the card, while the Conlin eliminations occupy the fifth and eighth-race slots on the evening.

Sherwood is eyeing a curtain call in the first Conlin division after scoring as the chalk on opening night and leaves from the outside slot, while Bobs Time is likewise looking to keep his record perfect at the meet from the outside post in the other elimination.

Allmyx’sliventexas returns in Open Pace
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness

An Open Pace and three eliminations for the Alan Horowitz Pace share the spotlight at Cal Expo on Friday night.

The trotters and pacers are now in action every Friday and Saturday evening for a 44-day session, with 11 races this Friday and a first post of 4:55 p.m.

The Open brings out the popular Allmyx’sliventexas, who has gone many sensational miles over this layout in his career for his owner/breeders Wayne and Rod Knittel and trainer Bob Johnson. He will be handled by Nick Roland.

A 7-year-old son of Hi Hi Silverheel’s out of the Distinguishedbaron mare Annie Get Your Gun, he has a lifetime mark of 1:50 that was established two years ago over the seven-eighths Hoosier Park oval.

Allmyx’sliventexas got nice and tight for Friday’s assignment with a sharp qualifier last weekend with Roland handling the lines. He blasted right to the front, carved out all the fractions and then came home in style by nearly five lengths in 1:56 3/5.

Taking him on Friday are Dependlebury, Bngs Express, Ponda’s Prospect, Super Pac Hanover and Gorgeous For Real.

The Open goes as the fourth race on the card, while the Alan Horowitz eliminations occupy the first, eighth and tenth-race slots on the program. There is also an Open III Trot going as the third that features invading Mshindi for driver/trainer Tim Clevenger.

A $63,764 carryover in the Single 6 and a reduced 16% takeout rate on three of the most popular wagers on the card help spice up the action on Friday night.

The 20-cent early Pick 4 and 20-cent Pick 5 as usual will feature the lower takeout, and this season Cal Expo has added the reduced 16 percent takeout rate to the 20-cent Pick 4 as well.

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This weekend will find Alan Horowitz and Bill Conlin remembered with series events named in their honor.

Alan Horowitz was a major force in California harness racing over the last several decades and a member of the California Harness Horsemen’s Association (CHHA) Hall of Fame who passed away in 2017 at age 72.

Horowitz, who wore many hats in the business, started out as a partner with longtime friends Donald and Barbara Arnstine and Steve Desomer with a $25,000 claimer named Quaker Byrd. Quaker Byrd won his first race for the partners and Alan was hooked. Moving on, Alan would eventually become a board member and president of CHHA.

In 1994, Alan was instrumental in bringing harness racing back to Cal Expo in the form of Capitol Racing and was also its successful general manager. He was serving as the Executive Secretary of the CHHA at the time of his retirement in 2013 and continued to stay in touch with the sport that he loved so much.

Bill Conlin was the longtime sportswriter, editor and columnist for the Sacramento Bee who passed away in 1997 at the age of 84. With great wit, he covered sports (and more) for six decades, first at the Sacramento Union and then at the Sacramento Bee. He was a daily presence in the Bee’s sports section until his retirement in 1985.