A Sintillating win at Cal Expo

A class drop from the Filly & Mare Open, combined with a perfect trip, was too much for the competition of Sintillating.

A field of mostly conditioned ladies, and one in for a tag, were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday night for a purse of $5,300, on which Sintillating took full advantage of her trip.

Leaving three wide from post-position four in the field of six for trainer Tim Maier, the pair dropped into the pocket well after an eighth of a mile, then gapped two lengths after three-sixteenths of a mile into a :28.1 opening quarter mile.

Narrowing the gap after five-sixteenths into a :56.4 first half, Sintillating received a one-hander midway through the final turn when Mamahaswhiskerstoo (Steve Wiseman) started to come out from third, yet stayed in the pocket.

Now about to be in need of room at the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:26, Maier thought of moving to the outside with the field in the upper stretch, but there wasn't enough room.

Forced to duck inside at the seven-eighths mile pole and finding racing freedom, the 5 year old responded to the urging of Maier and took over the lead with a sixteenth of a mile to go before drawing clear late while not urged late.

Owned and bred by Alan Kirschenbaum and Denise Maier, Sintillating, in winning ($3.20) for the 21st time in her career, stopped the timer at 1:55. The pacesetting I Give Youmy Word (Rocky Stidham) finished in second, and Mamahaswhiskerstoo finished one-length farther back, in third. (Cal Expo)

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