Cal Expo: Sire Stakes Championships set

A pair of California Sire Stakes Championships headline Friday night's action at Cal Expo, with Senga Nightmare looming large in the $50,000 contest for the 4-year-old pacing mares, while Give Me This Dance is the one to beat in the $15,000 affair for the 3-year-old pacing fillies.

A 10- race card is on tap Friday under the Watch and Wager LLC banner with first post set for 6:45 p.m.

Senga Nightmare has accounted for all four of the Sire Stakes decided at this meeting for her division for her owner/trainer/driver Ryan Grundy. She has been putting her class and versatility on display during the course of these scores and the daughter of Vertical Horizon will be tough no matter how things shake out early.

Taking her on are Tenaya with Chip Lackey; Doubleontherocks for Luke Plano; Witch Hunter, Cordarius Stewart; May Day Maggie, Nick Roland; Tartan Patch with Rene Goulet; Rockin The Dragon, Mooney Svendsen and Shewentthataway with James Kennedy.

Meanwhile, Give Me This Dance is looking for her seventh straight victory at the meet, including Sire Stakes decisions on March 18 and April 1. She is owned and was bred by Alan and Cheryl Sandbulte with Nick Roland reining and training.

She has left little doubt in either of those stakes decisions and came back last week to romp home over conditioned rivals while lowering her lifetime standard to 1:55 1/5 in the process.

Looking to post an upset Friday are Cenalta Flash with Mooney Svendsen; Toot Toot for James Kennedy and Anotherblazinwoman with Luke Plano giving directions.

-release (Mark Ratzky for Cal Expo)