Cal Expo driver convicted

After a seven-month investigation, Cal Expo driver Raymond Burt has been convicted of felony charges in connection with a suspicious race result at the Sacramento harness track. Burt, 41, pled guilty in criminal court to charges of “accepting a bribe not to use his best effort,” according to Maggy Krell, deputy state attorney general.

Burt will be sentenced Jan. 22, and is expected to face probation and a minimum three-year suspension of his racing license. He spent one week in jail prior to his Dec. 19 conviction. Burt, who last drove in a race Dec. 8, has been banned from racing at Cal Expo by the Sacramento Harness Association, effective immediately.

Three other drivers were also implicated in the case, which focused on a low trifecta payout in the first race May 5. In addition to Burt, brothers Jason and Danny Maier and veteran driver-trainer Todd Ratchford were suspended by the Sacramento Harness Association on May 12 from competing in races and entering the Cal Expo grounds.

The case centers on the trifecta payout after a $3,000 claiming race won by 6-1 shot Green Fields. Provisional driver Jason Maier, who also owned the winner, went to the lead immediately with Green Fields and finished first by nine lengths with even-money favorite Wovoca second and Mow Em Down--the longest shot in the seven-horse field at 28-1--a distant third.

The $1 trifecta paid $79.50. An average payoff for that combination would be $238, according to SHA officials. After a review of betting patterns and ticket sales, SHA froze payouts for the race, with many winning tickets still uncashed.

Burt’s horse, Omen, finished fourth at 3-1 with Ratchford’s horse, Ya Never Know, last at 8-1. Danny Maier did not drive in the race.

The SHA turned the investigation over to the California Horse Racing Board, which then forwarded its findings to the state attorney general’s office.

At the urging of the California Harness Horsemen's Association, the SHA lifted its ban of the four drivers in September and allowed them to come back to work. By that time, Danny Maier had relocated his business to New York.

Burt won his last race Dec. 6 with the pacer The Pan The Myth, who he also trained. As a driver in 2006, he had 21 victories--including four since his original suspension--from 302 starters. In his career, the New Jersey native won 127 races and total purses of $482,988.

No other individuals have been charged in the case. According to Krell, the investigation is continuing.

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