A solid group of performers will be squaring off in the featured $16,891 Dave Goldschmidt Free-For-All Pace on Sunday, Jan. 28 at Cal Expo headed by Major Offense.
The Goldschmidt highlights a nine-race card presented by Watch and Wager LLC and things will get underway at 4:55 p.m.
Major Offense is coming off an upset victory in the most recent Open Pace two weeks ago and figures to get more respect at the windows this time around.
Major Offense is a nine-year-old son of Art Major who carries the banner of Arnstine, Chambers and Plested, is conditioned by Kathie Plested and will once again have the services of Mooney Svendsen.
Sent off at 17-1 in last week’s top dance, Svendsen was able to leave into a pocket journey, found room along the inside in the stretch and scooted through for the score by half a length.
Dancin Lance was the runner-up that evening after carving out all the fractions as the 2-1 favourite. He rattled off three straight victories here in December, including back-to-back scores in the Open. The son of Always A Virgin is owned and trained by Juan Pacheco and will have James Kennedy giving directions.
A Major Omen has back-to-back Open scores to his credit at this meet for owner/driver/trainer Gerry Longo and must be given a long look Sunday.
Rounding out the field are Handsome Harvey, Allmyxsliventexas, Heavens Gona Rock and Ragged But Right.
Major Offense, Svendsen eye an encore
Looking at Major Offense’s last two starts, it’s certainly a tale of two trips with regular pilot Mooney Svendsen.
Two back in the Jan. 7 Open Pace, the nine-year-old was double digits back early in a race that featured a 1:00.4 middle half and that plus dull cover kept him from hitting the trifecta.
It was a different story two weeks ago for the performer who races for Barbara Arnstine, Steve Chambers and Kathie Plested as the Plested trainee was able to work out a pocket trip and rallied up the rail for the 17-1 surprise.
“The race two back, he lost his chance when they really slowed things up after the quarter,” Svendsen related. “In that last race, we were able to leave into the two-hole. Normally, that would be a good place to be, but I didn’t want to be down there because the inside was slower after the rain the previous night.
“He’s just a little guy, but he was awfully game and gave me a real nice finish.”
Major Offense and Svendsen join forces again in Sunday night’s Dave Goldschmidt Pace.
(Cal Expo)