by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — On paper it looked like she’d be first-over, and she was first-over, but that didn’t stop Jm Lucky Girl from a trip to the winner’s circle.

A $6,000 Filly & Mare Open Handicap lll Pace highlighted a beautiful Friday night (June 29) at Cal-Expo, in which Jm Lucky Girl was too tough.

Before starting from post position five in the field of six, trainer and driver Robley Johnson talked well of his charge.

“I’m starting to have a lot of confidence in this mare because of the solid honest efforts she has given me in all five starts I’ve had her,” said Johnson. “I tested her a bit in her last start with a first-up move and she responded well and finished second with a strong last half. So tonight, I figured it was probably my lot to be first-over — it just came down to a matter of fractions and racing luck, etc. Given the confidence I have in her, I’m now going into every race with her thinking my chances are good.”

Coming away in fifth position while 6-3/4 lengths back at the quarter-pole, timed in :28.1, Johnson was content, while hoping things would work his way.

“I was just waiting and biding my time hoping that Biggest Big Bertha (Gilbert Herrera) wouldn’t back things down too much on the front end. As it turns out, we were walking just past the quarter pole, but I wasn’t going to sacrifice my mare.”

With the pace slowing up throughout the second quarter, the pace-setting Biggest Big Bertha would jog the second quarter in a wind-aided :30 seconds, reaching the half-mile pole in :58.1.

“When we hit the half, I was thinking ‘Pull Rick (Plano), pull,’ with Kievline N — who was behind me. My hopes were to get on his back and get some cover. I have to admit that I thought my chances at the half had become somewhat diminished considering they got down to the half that slow. Plus you’re fighting with yourself whether to pull or not as you see the race perhaps getting away from you. Having said that, I know my mare has a strong stretch kick, and if there was anyway I could be patient enough to get cover, that would have been my first and foremost desire.”

As it would turn out, Johnson wouldn’t get his wish, as he’d be the first to pull while now racing first-over with 7-16ths of a mile to go.

“With Rick (Plano) out-waiting me, once I pulled my mare, I just gave her her head and let her know we were racing now. At that point though, everybody stepped on the gas, but that’s how the race figured to go all along. I knew it was going to be a tough battle from that point.”

Moving nicely at the five-eighths-mile pole, Jm Lucky Girl would advance to just within 2-1/2 lengths of the lead at the three-quarter pole, timed in 1:26.1, with Johnson now optimistic once again.

“I had a good feeling at the three-quarters because my mare still felt alive and she sure has been trying for me as I’m getting a real good rapport with her. I thought she could win the whole way, it was now just a matter of whether she had it in her.”

Under urging into the stretch, Jm Lucky Girl would creep closer and closer with every stride.

“About 100 to 150 yards from the wire, that’s when her and I could tell she was going to win. At that point, I changed my voice from a commanding voice to a praising voice and she responded. I knew then that unless someone came from nowhere with a lot of pace, that we had Biggest Big Bertha and Tawny Reserve N (Luke Plano) collared and were going to win.”

Responding to the verbal positive encouragement of her pilot, Jm Lucky Girl would take a slim lead in very deep stretch on her way to a three-quarter length win. Owned by Robert Murphy, Jm Lucky Girl would stop the timer at 1:54.3, equaling a lifetime best. Tawny Reserve N was up in the last stride to get the place honors, while Biggest Big Bertha was just a nose farther back in third.

“It was a tough and gritty win and she’s becoming one of my favorite horses. If she continues to race as she has been, I’m expecting her to continue to be one of the best mares at Cal-Expo, especially since I’m still getting to know her, which means there might be even more than what she has shown,” Johnson finished.

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Saturday, June 30. Post time is at 6:15 p.m. (PDT). Saturday at Cal-Expo is as always Dollar Night, on which hot dogs, beer, soda, tacos, and wine will be sold for one dollar, each.

Cal-Expo offers guaranteed $10,000 pools on all Pick-4’s!