Curtain up on Cal Expo meet Friday
At 13h11, on November 16, 2023 • By CAL EXPO
The 47-night Cal Expo meeting kicks off Friday (Nov. 17) with a 12-race card featuring an $8,800 Open Trot and an $8,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.
The Watch and Wager LLC session will run through May 3.
Racing will be conducted this week on Friday and beginning next week will see a mostly Friday and Sunday night schedule with first post at 6:45 p.m. on Fridays and 4:55 p.m. on Sundays.
The exceptions will be a special Tuesday (Dec. 26) card and special Saturday programs on Dec. 30 and Feb. 10, with no racing on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 11).
For the sixth consecutive year, overnight purses have been raised, the late-closing events have been upped in value with a focus on the aged Diamond Horse Alliance contests and the incentive program for horsemen has also been increased.
Racing highlights include a pair of $50,000 California Sire Stakes Championships; the $30,000 Bill Vallandingham for DHA filly and mare pacers; the $30,000 Alan Horowitz DHA Pace; and the $12,500 Stan Bergstein Free-For-All Trot.
Leading trainer Quentin Schneider is back to defend his title while last meet’s leading driver Luke Plano has returned with a strong barn of his own.
Cal Expo management would also like to welcome back Nick Roland and Jake Cutting after a brief hiatus, while new faces include Brett Erickson and Winter Asher-Stalbaum, who both figure to be well represented at this meeting.
