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.
