by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — She won 17 races last year and already has notched four wins this year, and if Cam’s Gidget had to face the Energizer Bunny, she’d probably beat her too.

A combination of claiming and conditioned fillies and mares were spotlighted for a purse of $4,600 on a very windy Sunday (January 27) at Cal-Expo, in which Cam’s Gidget won for the second time in 72 hours.

Prior to starting from post position four in the field of five over a sloppy track, owner/trainer/driver Robley Johnson showed sportsmanship.

“In spite of how incredibly well my mare has been racing of late, I still have to approach each race with a sense of reality and humility,” stated Johnson. “I know my mare can be beaten — I’ve been through it with her before which makes me cautiously optimistic. And with Biggest Big Bertha (Brad Irvine) in the race, I have to admit I was scared to death of her because I’ve seen her go some monster miles versus better.”

Coming away in fourth position and 5-1/4 lengths back at the quarter-mile pole, timed in :29, Johnson would respectfully elect to not move his charge fairly early in the second quarter as he had been doing recently.

“Gidget’s best move is later in the race and I didn’t want to have to move early as I wanted to avoid an early battle with Biggest Big Bertha because I knew there was going to be a big final quarter battle with her.”

Pulling first-over past the half-mile pole, timed in a strong wind-aided :59, Cam’s Gidget would gain at the five-eighths pole and by the three-quarter station, timed in 1:28, would only be 1-1/2 lengths off the lead.

“Recognizing the class of Biggest Big Bertha, I still had confidence in my mare at the three-quarters that she would go by Biggest Big Bertha in the stretch.”

Putting a nose up with an eighth of a mile to go, then a half length to the good at mid-stretch, Cam’s Gidget would draw clear to the wire to win ($3.60) by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:57.3. The victory for the 6-year-old gave her wins in seven of her last eight miles, and 35 career triumphs.

“She has gotten used to coming hard all the way down the stretch and through the wire — which is all a recent racing personality in her. She gave me tonight the same admirable effort that she has given of late. It was certainly right up there with one of her best races,” Johnson proudly concluded.

Brooklets Kia (Ed Hensley) finished in second, and Biggest Big Bertha finished another length back in third, while pushing her career earnings over $200,000.

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Thursday (January 31) and continue through Saturday (February 2). Post time each night is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. (PST). On Thursday, Cal-Expo offers Fiesta Thursdays, in which fans can enjoy $2.00 frozen margaritas and tacos!

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