Claiming pacers were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday, June 17, on a night in which Fearless Sahbra was clearly the best.
Before starting from Post 2 in the field of five, driver Dave Siegel far from agreed with the public making him 19-1.
"I thought I was way better than the longest shot in the race and was going to drive him that way," Siegel stated.
Leaving, but taking back when Little Box Out (driven by Rick Plano) and Shoot The Works (Luke Plano) left, Siegel settled in third with his charge to the first eighth, but was out and moving at the quarter-mile pole, timed in :28.4.
"I didn't want to sit third because I know from his history that he's very good on the front."
Making the front past the three-eighths-mile pole into a :57.4 first-half, then pacing a :28.2 third-quarter, a fairly chilly-sitting Siegel was confident despite just a neck advantage at the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:26.1.
"I saw Little Box Out to my outside and it looked like he just didn't have much go out there and I wanted to keep Shoot The Works locked in the pocket as long as I could. I know my horse sort of quits when other horses get close, so once we got straightened out I just wanted to put as much distance between me and the rest of the field because I thought he had a huge chance at that point."
Under urging and drawing clear by two-lengths to the seven-eighths-mile marker, there'd be no catching the 10-year-old.
"As expected, once he gets a little separation he stays interested in keeping that separation and he was very strong."
Owned by Michael Lugar and trained by Brian Solden, Fearless Sahbra ($40.80) won by two lengths in 1:55, a seasonal best and his 47th career triumph. Jessalilpeace (Jim Lackey) finished in second, and Little Box Out finished another three and a half lengths farther back, in third.
"I didn't look at the toteboard as I normally do before a race, but I considered him a favourite regardless of what the public bet and drove him that way and he won that way," Siegel concluded.
(Cal-Expo)