California Dreamin in 1:52.4

The best pacers on the grounds met up on Saturday night at Cal-Expo Raceway in an Invitational Handicap for a purse of $10,000, in which California Dream remained razor sharp.

Before being assigned post-position six in a field reduced to five with a scratch, driver Rick Kuebler had every reason to be confident, given his charge was gunning for his fifth in-a-row, and his eighth win in the last nine starts.

"The horse has been in sharp form and with everything else being equal, and a good trip, he had a big chance," said Kuebler. "He had missed a week, as did everyone except for Casimir Dow Jones (Steve Wiseman), so the best strategy was probably to race him from behind."

With the field sent on their way, no one would leave, as horses dropped into post-position order.
Was this a concern for Kuebler?

"Yes, to a degree, because I thought and was hoping there would be some early action--but there wasn't."

Racing six lengths back while last at the quarter-mile pole, timed in :28.2, Kuebler could have been more pleased.

"I thought the :28.2 first-quarter was moderate, and from where I was, I was hoping the pace would pick up and be more honest."

Getting his wish granted at the three-eighths mile pole when Pulse (Lou Pena) was courageously moved to the outside from fourth while in quest for the lead that belonged to Du Wah Diddy (Rocky Stidham), Kuebler was now liking it.

"I was happy to see someone come out and push the pace. As a result, I was content to sit behind the duel that was about to take place."

Still last at the half-mile pole, timed in :58, while five lengths back, Kuebler had to be enjoying the fact that Rocky Stidham and Du Wah Diddy were playing hardball with Pulse.

"At that point, I thought they'd be racing, and if we could get into contention, we'd be strong at the top of the lane."

Pulling third-over to the five-eighths mile pole to follow Raging Jiffy (Bruce Clarke), California Dream found himself a good four lengths off at the three-quarter mile pole, timed in 1:25.2, all while Pulse was now stalling the outer-flow, but Kuebler wasn't concerned.

"I was content to sit behind Raging Jiffy until we straightened out as I thought he had the biggest close of the competitors. Pulse stalling didn't concern me because I thought we were still in striking distance.
I felt at the three-quarter mile pole that it would boil down to either Raging Jiffy or myself."

Following Raging Jiffy three-wide to the top of the stretch and now just under three lengths from the lead, California Dream would draft behind the lead brushing Raging Jiffy until the seven-eighths mile pole, at which point Kuebler popped the earplugs of his charge while moving him five-wide and while going to work on the gelding.

"Raging Jiffy was pacing great, which I knew he could, but my horse has extreme step coming out of a hole.
I wasn't sure, however, when I tipped, that I was going to get by him, but in the last twenty yards, he was pacing a hole in the wind."

Surging with every stride in deep-stretch while pacing a final sixteenth of a mile in around 6-1/5 seconds, California Dream would close furiously to get up at the wire, by a neck.

Bred and owned by the partnership of Lester Hunsucker, Jay Rosenberg, and JW Standardbreds, the Jim Wilkinson Jr. trained pacer would pace his final-quarter of a mile in :26.3, his final-half mile in :53.4, and his final three-quarters of a mile in 1:23.1, while stopping the timer at 1:52.4, a seasonal best.

"He has always been very talented and very quick, and it's wonderful to see him pacing his best at the wire, with this being the strongest he'd ever hit the line. He's a smart and talented horse who is coming into his own," Kuebler finished.

Raging Jiffy, racing gallant in defeat, was second, and Casimir Dow Jones came on with good late pace to be another 1-1/2 lengths farther back, in third.

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