LOS ALAMITOS : Bumpy Road to Top Also Painful

Steve Warrington put the Los Alamitos harness meeting’s driving title on ice several weeks ago, literally and figuratively. The Maryland driver turns in consistently smooth and seemingly effortless drives despite almost constant pain.

If Warrington’s horses were plagued with the back problems the 43-year-old driver has, they would have trouble walking, let alone pacing or trotting.

“I got two vertebrae fused where I broke my neck, and lower-back problems from a disk that touches a nerve,” Warrington said. “Sitting in that sulky, every bump jars you. It got so bad one night about three weeks ago, I had to lie on ice for 40 minutes after the races wereover.”

As painful as Warrington’s work sounds, he realizes how much worse it would feel in the Maryland cold during the winter. One of the most frigid winters in history in the East last year brought him back here for the third time in four years.

Warrington led the standings the last time he was here, in 1993, and holds an insurmountable 69-44 lead over runner-up Jim Lackey with the meeting’s final three programs this weekend.

“The majority of winners have come from three trainers--Jim Perez, Bobby Gordon and Rudy Sialana,” Warrington said.

He plans to stay in California for at least the March 31 beginning of the Sacramento meet, but might return to his family operated farm in Maryland around June.

In his spare time, Warrington frequents area coffee houses, anonymously, as a singer and guitarist, displaying talent approaching that in the sulky, and with no pain.

“I learned to play the guitar when I was 15,” he said. “We play anything from bluegrass to Jimi Hendrix.”

Warrington was one of a dozen musicians who performed at a horsemen’s party at the track last Sunday.

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Colorful track announcer Robin Burns calls driver Carlo Fisco, the only licensed lawyer in the colony, “the Barrister.” Fisco, who passed the bar in November, 1993, said the uncertainty of harness racing’s future motivated him to enroll at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law.

“It happened in part because of the downturn in harness racing,” Fisco said. “Business couldn’t keep me occupied all year and I thought I’d better do something else.”

He met his wife, Leslie, in school. They have a son, Giancarlo, 3.

“It was hectic at times, but I couldn’t be happier,” said Fisco, who practices in Marina Del Rey. “I came out of it with a degree, a wife and a son. I scored big.”

Fisco, a 39-year-old native of Windsor, Canada, smiled and said, “They call me the poor man’s Darrell Vienna.”

Vienna, a prominent thoroughbred trainer, passed the bar last year.

Harness Racing Notes

Hi Ho Silverheel’s was honored Saturday as 1994 California harness horse of the year. The 4-year-old pacer is in training here for his probable 1995 debut at Sacramento next month. . . . Three of the richest races of the meeting highlight the final week: the $15,000 Dante Jay Trot Thursday, the $15,000 Albaquel Pace for fillies and mares Friday, and the $20,000 Courageous Red Pace Saturday. . . . Trainer Rudy Sialana sent pacing star Predazzo N out for his seventh victory in 10 starts this year in last Saturday’s feature, after Tootie Roll had won an earlier race in 1:54, fastest mile of the meet.