He romped the week before despite parking the mile, so it should have come as no surprise that Final Choice repeated at Cal Expo Thursday night in a $6,300 race for $15,000-20,000 claiming trotters.
In advance of starting from post position four in the field of five, owner-trainer Gilbert Herrera bluntly stated his strategy. "There was no strategy, I was going to put him on the front end and whatever happened, happened," said Herrera.
Leaving and racing three wide for an eighth of a mile plus, Final Choice obtained the lead just before the field had traveled three-sixteenths of the mile.
"The lead wasn't tough, he has been racing good and strong and I knew he would keep going," said Herrera.
Reaching the quarter pole, timed in :29, and on top by two lengths throughout the second quarter while reaching the half-mile station in :58.3, Herrera got the attention of his charge in the final turn.
"I saw that Jess Or No (Ed Hensley) was coming first-over, but right before that I wanted to talk to my horse and let him know it was time to get going, so I popped his earplugs at the five-eighths," said Herrera.
Reaching the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:27.4, Herrera urged his gelding on, all while possibly seeking an alarm clock.
"He was falling asleep on me at the three-quarters and I wanted to wake him up, but I wasn't concerned," he said.
Under right-handed urging in the lane, Herrera continued to urge the 7 year old on at mid-stretch, but now on the left side, and for good reason.
"He was drifting in a little bit, so I got after him on the left side to make sure he wouldn't drift anymore," he explained.
Holding firm to win ($3.40) by 1 1/4 lengths, Final Choice stopped the timer at 1:57.3, thus recording his 39th career triumph. Jess Or No finished in second, and the pocket-sitting Cherry Tree Luke (Jim Lackey) finished another 1 1/4 lengths back, in third.
"He raced very well again," Herrera concluded. (Cal Expo)
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