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SPAWR CLINGS TO LEAD IN TRAINER’S RACE
Pomona, Calif. (Sept. 21, 2008) – With two days remaining on the 2008 Fairplex racing calendar Bill Spawr is atop the trainer standings with eight victories from just 14 starters for an incredible 57 percent win quotient.
However, the race for the Pomona trainer championship is tighter than the California budget because Spawr only has one horse entered today, Exceeding in the $65,000 Governor’s Cup Handicap, and none tomorrow.
That leaves the door wide-open for several trainers to grab the brass ring.
Jeff Mullins, who has won three previous Fairplex training titles, is second in the standings with seven victories, but has three horses entered for today and another three on Monday, closing day.
Victor Garcia is just a notch behind with six winners. He has no starters today, but has three set to go on Monday.
And finally, Ted H. West and Mike Mitchell are tied for fourth at five apiece, but West will saddle five horses over the next two programs, while Mitchell has seven entered.
The eventual winner of the 2008 Fairplex training title may have to win a very, very tight photo finish.
SIX STAKES TODAY FOR ALL BREEDS
Fairplex racing secretary Richard Wheeler has back-loaded the 16-day meet with four thoroughbred stakes races today, the first time in the track’s history that many quality events have been carded on a single program.
The $125,000 Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap at 1 1/8 miles20is not only the marquee race of the day, but also of the meet. For added measure Wheeler offers the $100,000 Las Madrinas Handicap at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares, the $65,000 Governor’s Cup at 6 ½ furlongs for sprinters and the $65,000 Bangles and Beads Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs for fillies and mares.
Even the mules and quarter horses will be showcased this afternoon. Bar JF Hot Ticket, a winner of 23 of 27 career races, begins the festivities in the first race at noon in the inaugural running of the $7,000 Mule Invitational Handicap at 400 yards, while the quarter horses will tangle in the second race, the $17,500-added Pomona Quarter Horse Championship at 400 yards.
PEDROZA IN QUEST OF MONEY TITLE
Martin Pedroza already has wrapped up the Fairplex riding championship, his 10th consecutive title and=2 011th overall. Pedroza begins today’s 13-race program with 41 winners, 26 ahead of second place Alonso Quinonez, who rode Bingham to a wire-to-wire victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Pomona Derby.
In 2004 Pedroza had his best season, winning 51 races in 17 days for a three-a-day average, while earning purse money in excess of $1 million.
The 43-year-old rider may not break his own single season record for winners in 2008, but Pedroza still has a chance to surpass his purse earnings record. Pedroza, who has amassed $846,793 in earnings through the first 14 days, has mounts in all four stakes races today, and rides nine of the 10 thoroughbred races on Monday.
DIONICIO NAVAR
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