Prince Brian Expected to Reign : Harness racing: Colt probably will be the heavy favorite to win the final of Shelly Goudreau pacing series at Los Alamitos.

Bob Reeser’s first two years in California have resulted in only modest success with a 12-horse stable of mostly claiming horses, maidens and a few California-breds.

It’s a difficult group for any trainer to turn into a moneymaker, but Reeser’s perseverance might pay off today. He trains Prince Brian, who will be an overwhelming favorite in tonight’s $250,000 Shelly Goudreau Memorial Pace, the richest harness race of the meeting and the highlight of closing night.

Reeser took over training Prince Brian in early April from Rheal Bourgeois, the colt’s East Coast-based trainer, who still keeps close tabs. A victory for Prince Brian tonight would be a significant boost for Reeser, who came to California from the East Coast in early 1990 and acknowledges being a bit lucky to acquire Prince Brian this month.

“(Rheal) came and asked me if I would train him,” said Reeser, 37. “It was kind of a shock. I didn’t know how good he was at the time, but I could tell the first time I trained him that he had a big engine.”

Prince Brian’s seven-length victory in last Saturday’s second leg of the Shelly Goudreau in 1:52 4/5 was the fastest mile by a 3-year-old in Los Alamitos history and this year’s fastest mile in North America by a 3-year-old pacer. It also marked the fourth-fastest mile in track history, behind TK’s Skipper’s three races during the 1990 American Pacing Classic--1:52 3/5 and 1:52 2/5 in qualifying legs and 1:51 2/5 in the $150,000 final.

The ease with which Prince Brian’s driver, Joe Pavia Jr., pulled away from the field last week has left most of the other 11 drivers figuring that they are racing for second.

“I think he could be one of the top five 3-year-old pacers (in the nation),” said Reeser, who saw many of last year’s 2-year-old leaders when he worked in New Jersey. “If they pushed him, it wouldn’t surprise me if he could pace in 1:51 2/5.”

Prince Brian was purchased earlier this year by Nick Barbieri of Woodbridge, Ontario, for $100,000, while the colt was training for his 1992 debut at Pompano Park in Florida. He won two fast races in March before shipping to California and winning two qualifying legs to the Goudreau in times considerably faster than those in other divisions.

Prince Brian also has a bit of history on his side. His caretaker, Pearl Maksymchuck, looked after Goalie Jeff, the 1989 3-year-old pacing champion.

Prince Brian’s place in the national scene will be decided in the coming months when the colt travels back to Ontario, where Bourgeois is based, to race in the Burlington Pace and the $1-million North American Cup at Greenwood, near Toronto, in June. The top North American 2-year-old pacers of 1991 haven’t raced this year, while most of the other Goudreau entrants will have to improve considerably and quickly to be a factor in the major national stakes.

“It ain’t even close,” said Steve Warrington, who will drive So. “You could put 20 horses in and that still won’t beat him. A bad drive won’t beat this horse. . . . Getting sick would be about the only thing.”

The field from the rail out includes Falcon Dakota with driver Joe Anderson; So, Warrington; Just A Mene, Rick Kuebler; Vacationing, D.R. Ackerman; Jovial Killean, Ron Pierce; Prince Brian, Pavia; Dal Reo Scruffy, Don Monkman Jr.; As Promised, Keith Clark; Bright As Day, Terry Kerr; You Better You Bet, Gene Vallandingham; Humstinger, Greg Wright; and Shiney Key, Ross Croghan. You Better You Bet, Humstinger and Shiney Key will start on the second tier behind the first row of horses.

True Tyrant is on the also-eligible list, needing someone to scratch before 9 a.m. today. The colt has won 13 of his 15 starts and was brought in from Calgary for this race. He had a throat ailment two weeks ago that forced him to miss a start and tied for 12th in the Goudreau money standings, which determine the finalists. His handlers lost a shake to Just A Mene on Wednesday when the field was drawn.

Croghan’s draw with Shiney Key was particularly difficult, considering the colt’s victory in the other division of the second leg last Saturday. Shiney Key had been winless in his first three races this year but got a rail-skimming trip and finished in 1:54 3/5. While You Better You Bet and Humstinger are required to start behind the one and two post positions, Croghan has the option of starting behind any of the horses in post positions three through nine.

“Major luck is the only way to overcome the 12,” said Croghan, who has clinched the driving title for the meeting. “You have to see what the other driver in front of you does. That’s a lot of money to pay in to not get your nose on the gate ($6,000 in nominating fees).”

The race figures to be very quick, even if the track record--or at least the 3-year-old mark--doesn’t fall. Several horses will try to take the lead, forcing Pavia to circle the field if he wants to run in front.

Anderson, who drove TK’s Skipper in 1990, will start from the rail with Falcon Dakota, hoping for a good early position. “By the time you get to the quarter pole, you’ll have a good chance to realize what’s going to happen,” said Anderson. “The last big race they had here, I drew the rail (with TK’s Skipper), and that didn’t work out to bad, either.”