Santa Rosa trainer's horses pay off on first day of Sonoma County Fair racing

Followers of local trainer Steve Specht cashed in on Thursday’s opening card at the Sonoma County Fair.

The Santa Rosa resident sent his fans home with full wallets as both horses he saddled returned to the winner’s circle.

“The pressure is off,” Specht said with a chuckle. “I always want to do well at this meet because so many people in Sonoma County follow my horses.

“Getting a winner so early in the meet means I can relax from here on out.”

The day was marked by tragedy, though, when a horse named Mr. Candy Bar suffered an injury following the second race of the day and was euthanized.

“The horse finished the race and took a misstep,” said fair racing director Richard Lewis.

It was the first death of a horse at the racetrack in over a year, Lewis said. The jockey, who jumped from horse when it stumbled, was uninjured.

Kimnjet rallied to win the third race by a length and first-time starter Heat Striker prevailed in the fifth, also by a length.

Both horses were ridden by Frank Alvarado and each paid $11 for a $2 win ticket.

Specht has been racing horses at the fair for nearly three decades and has been shut out from the winner’s circle in only one year.

He doesn’t have a horse racing Friday, but has a couple in on Saturday.

Anointed Waters goes in the fifth race and Go Mojave Go will compete in the sixth.

“They both will be tough,” Specht said. “Now, I’ll be able to enjoy watching them without feeling the pressure.”

NOTES

Russell Baze, the world’s winningest jockey, didn’t add to his total on Thursday despite seven rides. The 56-year-old finished in the runner-up position once and had four third-place finishes.

Baze and other jockeys said the turf course and dirt track were in pristine condition.

The opening day crowd was up considerably over opening day a year ago, according to director of racing Richard Lewis.

“The grandstand was full and it was apparent the people were happy to have racing back,” he said.

Jonathan Wong shared training honors with Specht on opening day. The former assistant to John F. Martin prepared Arigato for his victory in the sixth race and came back to win the seventh with Too Fast to Pass.

Racing begins Friday at 3:15 p.m. Jockey Ricardo Gonzalez will be the guest at the Shade Park seminar. That begins at 1:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Ray Harris (Baze’s agent) will be the guest while announcer Michael Wrona is set for Sunday’s seminar.