by Scott Ehrlich, Publicity — Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — 2-year-old fillies were spotlighted at Cal-Expo on Friday night in $15,000 California Sires Stakes action, on which there was no doubt which stood atop their pack.

In the wagering feature for the pacing ladies, was trainer Rick Plano worried that One Hot Tamale had been off 14 days?

“I wasn’t concerned about the two weeks off because she had been sick for about three weeks,” stated Plano. “The last week and a half, however, she has been fine. So the two weeks actually helped her.”

Accelerating from post-one in the field of seven, Plano had good reason to step on the pedal early.

“I know she can go better than all of them, so I just wanted to put Serengeti Sunset (Steve Hyman), who left well, in the pocket behind me, plus I just wanted to keep her out of trouble and be able to control things.”

Pacing a :28.4 first-quarter, and a :58.3 first-half, Plano was pleased.

“:58.3 was right about where I wanted her to go and if she raced the way she trained – – we’d have no problems.”

Letting out a notch on his charge past the five-eighths mile pole and leading by a couple of lengths midway through the final-turn, Plano expanded the lead to 2-3/4 lengths at the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:27.1.

“I kind of thought as long as nothing happened – – we were home.”

With the field now approaching the top of the lane, Plano applied the finishing touches.

“I popped the earplugs and it was an explosion.”

Now on top by five-lengths with 3-16ths of a mile to go, One Hot Tamale would clobber her foes while barely urged. Bred in part by owner Wayne Knittel, One Hot Tamale, in repeating, won ($4.60) by a whopping 9-1/2 lengths in an excellent 1:55.4, a lifetime mark. Upncoming Prospect (Bruce Clarke) finished in second, and Sincerity (Tim Maier) finished another two-lengths back, in third.

“She was healthy and coasted home in 1:55.4. She has proved that she’s the best filly at this moment,” concluded Plano.

Prior to the wagering card found the freshmen trotters in a non-wagering event, on which Betty Elizabeth made it two in-a-row.

Leaving from post-two for Gene Vallandingham in the field of four and getting the lead just before the field had traveled an eighth of a mile, the Lisa Pilcher bred, owned, and trained lass cut out fractions of :31.2, 1:04.4, and 1:37 before winning pretty easily by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:06.4. Acapulco Gold (Tim Maier) was a pocket sitting second, and Jewel Heist (Steve Desomer), who broke before the start, finished 42-1/2-lengths much farther back, in third.