West beats East at
Sacramento
Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - by Dave
Siegel, for the California Amateur
Driving Association
While Team East knew that
Sacramento was some ninety miles from the Pacific Ocean,
they believed they might have actually been racing in it
during the second of five legs of the East-West Amateur
Driving Challenge, which took place at Cal-Expo Raceway this
past weekend.
The first leg ended up in a tie between the two squads when
Team West member Tim Clevenger's Keep Cool N ($7.40) won by
open lengths.
Following that, the skies opened and the track went from
fast to sloppy in a matter of minutes, and by the time the
eighth race went to post the track was ocean-like on its
surface -- and presented an extra challenge for the
Challenge participants. The track was in great shape just
below the surface, however, and the track crew was well
prepared for Mother Nature's onslaught.
Dein Spriggs won the second leg when he piloted Oriole Angus
($5.60) to a one length victory, which put Team East two
points ahead of Team West, 43 to 41.
The skies cleared on Saturday, and the eastern invaders were
treated to a tour of the State Capitol by Steve Chambers --
tour guide extraordinaire -- and to a visit to Sacramento's
Old Town, which is a throwback to the gold rush era.
The competition resumed in race number three on Saturday,
which was the only trotting race in the Challenge, and Dave
Siegel drove Kerri's Choice ($29.20) to a three-quarter
length victory. The 13-1 shot was the longest-priced winner
in the Challenge. Well Don N, with Dein Spriggs in the bike,
finished second. Combined with a third, fourth, and fifth
place finish by the balance of Team West, the win put the
“Left Coasters” ahead by 12 points.
The teams had to wait a few minutes to confirm the outcome
of the fourth leg when three geldings hit the wire within a
whisker of each other. The “Polaroid” went the way of Team
East when Alan Schwartz drove the free-legged pacer Perfect
Chief ($11.80) to a three inch margin of victory over Green
Fields (Jason Maier) and TK Diehard (Dave Siegel), who in
turn had finished about one inch apart, in second and third,
respectively.
The skilled piloting of Schwartz put Team East right back in
it, just six points behind with one leg to go.
Northfield Park's director of racing, Greg Keidell, won the
final leg by driving Hoosier Best ($7.20) to a one-half
length victory over Jason Maier's True Believer, but due to
the strong finish of the also rans driven by the West
Coasters, Team West eked out a victory, 118 points to 111
points.
Detailed results, charts and race replays can be found on
the California Amateur Driving Club (CADC) web site at:
www.thecadc.com/standings_EastWest06.html.
Dein Spriggs, Tony Verruso, Alan Schwartz, Greg Keidell, and
Tom Williams, five of the top-10 ranked C.K.G. Billings
Amateur Driving Series participants in 2005 were excellent
representatives of the East, and the Golden Staters, using
their home field advantage, were Tim Clevenger, Dave Siegel,
Susan Boyce, Jason Maier, and Benny Alvarez.
23 different Cal-Expo trainers entered 44 horses in the
five-race series.
"I cannot begin to describe how much we owe to so many
people for making the Challenge the huge success that it
was," California Amateur Driving Club president and
Challenge participant David Siegel said. "The horsemen were
so supportive filling the races as they did, and I am so
impressed with the number of them that see the many benefits
of amateur racing in general, and such a special event as
the Challenge, in particular.
“Our (track) operator, the Sacramento Harness Association (SHA),
gave this event incredible support, contributing to the
travel expenses of our guests, wonderful TV and radio
coverage, and having the foresight to see the value to the
fans, bettors, amateur drivers, and for the long-term health
of the sport.
“Working with the horsemen to have full fields and
competitive races would not have been possible without the
hard work of the Fred Kuebler and his capable race office
staff, and the great cooperation of the horsemen.
“California Amateur Drivers Club secretary Steve Chambers, a
goodwill ambassador for California harness racing, dotted
every ‘I’ and crossed every ‘T’ to ensure that all of the
needs of Team East were taken care of.
“Finally, to have been honored in the presence of the best
amateur drivers in the country, making the 3,000-mile trip
for five races, is just a testament to their dedication to
our industry.
“It was truly a team effort on so many dimensions, and in a
time of many distractions from what is good about racing, it
was so refreshing to have such great camaraderie off the
track with such great competition on the track," Siegel
said.
Sacramento Harness Association general manager Chris Schick
summed it all up by saying "this is what harness racing is
all about. We are happy to support the efforts of the
amateur club, and look forward to hosting the Challenge
again in 2007. It was a great success."
