by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — Twas the night after Thanksgiving, when the thought of seconds for most was out of the question, which included Jessalilbit, who after three straight seconds, got a first.

3-year-old fillies, on both the pace and trot, raced in $22,500 California Sires Stakes on Friday night (Nov. 24) at Cal-Expo, in which Jessalilbit and Only In California were victorious.

On the pacing side, before starting from post position five in the field of eight, trainer and driver Ed Hensley felt all could work out, if his journey worked out.

“I thought I had a good chance with a good trip. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I wasn’t going to cut it and I wasn’t going to be first-over,” laughed Hensley.

Offering to leave, then gently taking back after he looked left and right, Hensley explained his decision.

“I didn’t want any :59.4 first-half’s, but I wasn’t going to get into a speed duel. When I saw there were a couple of leavers, I said to myself that I was going to bide my time in the back.”

Coming away in sixth position, one of Jessalilbit’s main foes — Peaches And Cream (Bruce Clarke), who had left well, had a chance for a three hole midway through the first turn, but bypassed it and went on to the front, which didn’t please Hensley.

“I really didn’t like it when Peaches And Cream went on to the front because I thought if she got in the three hole, that she could be my cover. When the quarter-mile time came up in :27.4 though, that was good. I was just hoping I could get some cover somewhere.”

With Peaches And Cream making the lead at the 5-16th pole, Clarke slowed down the pace big time in the second eighth of the second quarter, which prompted horses from the back to pull, which in turn saw Jessalilbit get flushed out first-over at the 7-16th pole. Now gradually moving up while fifth at the half-mile pole, timed in :57, was Hensley looking for cover?

“Well, being first-over, I was hoping that I could ease her up on the outside, which as it turns out I was able to do — but I was looking for cover, as my filly is way better with a trip. I didn’t like being first-over, but it was too late then.”

Picking up speed to the 9-16th pole, Jessalilbit then appeared, at the five-eighths pole, to be guided through the turn.

“She gets to bearing in a little bit in the turn, so I eased her through the last turn, plus I didn’t want to race Peaches And Cream.”

Now just a length off the lead at the three-quarter pole, timed in 1:26.4, but with a confident Bruce Clarke behind Peaches And Cream looking back off a :29.4 third-quarter breather, did Hensley let an optimistic Clarke get him down?

“No, because I also had a breather in the third quarter. I knew when Bruce looked back that he thought he had it won, but I knew my filly still had a lot of pace.”

With the field set down for the drive, Hensley asked his filly, who came off the turn a bit cranked to the right, to go on. Once Jessalilbit straightened out she responded by brushing to the seven-eighths pole.

“She started pacing on, but she is the type of horse that if you clear too early, she’ll hang late, which is why I got beat on November 10, when she was on the lead. So I was wanting to keep her earplugs in as long as possible so that when she cleared, I had another option to go to, which was to pop the plugs. She was strong tonight,” Hensley concluded.

Getting her earplugs popped at the seven-eighths pole, Jessalilbit forged to the lead at mid-stretch, then under wheel-disc urging, drew clear with a sixteenth of a mile to go, winning by one length for owner Jessica Hensley in 1:55. Lil Bit Country (Steve Hyman) flew very late to finish in second, and Peaches And Cream finished another 1-1/2 lengths farther back in third.

Sophomore trotting ladies were also co-featured, in which Only In California romped for driver Bruce Clarke. Owned by Cynthia Lindsey in partnership with trainer Kennedy Lindsey, Only In California cut out fractions of :29, :58.2, and 1:29, before stopping the timer at 1:59, a lifetime best. Jessaliljudy (Benny Alvarez) finished three lengths behind the winner in second, and West Nile Skeeter (Steve Wiseman) finished another 2-3/4 lengths farther back in third.

In a Filly & Mare Free For All Handicap, Alexa Hall closed from last at the top of the stretch to fly late and get the winner’s share of the $10,000 purse. Owned by Patricia Waldeck and Jack Coffey, the Bruce Clarke trained and driven mare won by a neck in 1:53.3. Brooklets Kia (Ed Hensley) finished in second, and Tawny Reserve (Luke Plano) finished just a half length farther back in third.

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Saturday (Nov. 25). Post time is at 5:35 p.m. (PST). On Saturday, Cal-Expo will offer Dollar Night, on which hot dogs, beer, soda and wine will be sold for one dollar each.

Guaranteed Late Pick 4 pool every Friday and Saturday

Sacramento Harness Association at Cal-Expo continues to offer a $20,000 (guar.) Late Pick-4 pool every Friday and Saturday, on races nine through twelve.