Gee Gee Digger Exacts His Revenge

Gee Gee Digger was beaten so decisively in two previous stakes races with Little Bighorn that detractors began calling him General Custer.

But the 3-year-old pacer silenced his critics Sunday at Los Alamitos with a five-length victory over his rival in a $15,000 California Sire Stake.

The wire-to-wire victory in a lifetime best of 1:54 1/5 was particularly gratifying to Lee and Arlene Gellerman of Cypress and Cyril and Lola Green of Venice, his owners and breeders.

Lee Gellerman, a Long Beach physician, and Cyril Green, retired from the garment business, have been partners for 16 years but have never owned a horse as good as Gee Gee Digger.

They sent their broodmare, Gee Gee Gem, to Dignitarian to produce Gee Gee Digger.

Gee Gee Digger posted his 11th victory in 17 starts but had his ups and downs at this meet, losing four times, twice as the 3-10 favorite. Gellerman suggested a driver change--the gelding’s third at the meet--to Lou Pena two races ago.

The gelding responded with two victories.

Gee Gee Digger is the latest success story developed by trainer Rudy Sialana. He ranks second in the meet standings with 36 victories, two behind Rick Plano.

Sialana, 52, grew up on Kauai, in a town of 1,000, and has overcome a fear of horses. “I had a bad experience,” Sialana said. “I got on a horse bareback when I was 15, couldn’t control him and got thrown.”

Sialana has not climbed aboard a horse since.

After finishing high school, Sialana moved to Los Angeles and eventually bought 10% of a pacer, Prairie Sunshine, who showed a profit.

Hooked, Sialana bought another pacer, Red Eagle N, by himself for $16,000. “He broke down after five or six starts,” said Sialana. “My wife wanted to divorce me.”

Undaunted, Sialana has developed into one of the leading conditioners on the California circuit. Last year he acquired a lightly raced gelding from New Zealand named Predazzo and earned horse-of-the-meet honors with him.

Sialana sent out five winners last week, including a sweep of $15,000 Sire Stakes 3-year-old pacing events with Gee Gee Digger and filly Pip’s Profit, also driven by Pena. Sialana credits his 25-year-old son, Russ, who oversees his 20-horse stable.

Sialana also claimed Tootie Roll for $10,000 three years ago and watch him earn more than $100,000 and set a Sacramento track record of 1:51 1/5.

Harness Racing Notes

Ross Wolfenden of New Zealand made his first appearance at Los Alamitos last weekend, winning twice for trainer Rudy Sialana with New Zealand-breds Predazzo and Colonel Grace. Wolfenden, 32, is the son of New Zealand horseman Peter Wolfenden. . . . HiHo Silverheel’s, the star pacer of the meet, made it four for four with an effortless 1:54 victory by 2 1/2 lengths in the $12,500 feature Saturday with Rick Kuebler. . . . Lois Anderson, a veteran horsewoman who took out her driver’s license at the beginning of the meet, recorded her first parimutuel victory behind You Own A Bank, a 6-year-old pacing mare she owns and trains. Anderson was one of three provisional drivers to score their first meet victories. Earl Kennedy, who brings horses in from a livestock farm in Needles, won twice behind Toots Kennedy; and Bill Millington produced the highest win mutuel of the meet--$172.40--with Don Scott, who was lapped on Peaceable and moved up to first when the favorite broke stride in front at the wire. . . . Eunice Morrow, president and general manager of Premier II Harness Racing Assn., said the track has handled more than $1-million on 18 of 40 nights, compared to four times during a 38-night meet last year. This meet runs through April 7.