by Scott Ehrlich, publicity, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — The table was certainly set for a sizzling mile, but D Jokerman still earned his way to victory.

Three pacers who hadn’t won three races in 2008 faced three $20,000 claimers at Cal-Expo on Friday night (June 20) for a purse of $6,300, in which D Jokerman outfought a gallant foe.

In advance of starting from post position one, driver Steve Wiseman knew what was needed to give his gelding his best chance.

“He has been off two weeks, but I knew he had been trained up good,” said Wiseman. “Still, because of the two weeks off, I knew I wanted to get away close and be right on the back of Devilish Donnie (Rocky Stidham), as I was hoping not to be first-over.”

Coming away in the pocket behind Devilish Donnie, D Jokerman would find himself in third at the quarter-mile pole, timed in a hot :27.2, all as a result of Mac Jonathan VP (Dave Siegel) floating out before deciding to go on for the top.

“If Mac Jonathan VP had cleared, I was going to go to the front, but when he didn’t as a result of a battle with Devilish Donnie, I was liking it. I, however, knew that Devilish Donnie would be tough because he never quits and fights all the way to the wire.”

With Stidham trying to yield with his pacer in the second quarter, but with Devilish Donnie having none of that, D Jokerman would still find himself third in the pocket at the half-mile pole, timed in a scorching :54.4.

Now racing back to second at the five-eighths-mile station as Mac Jonathan VP got tired, Wiseman would tip out of the pocket midway through the final bend.

“I pulled when I did because you have to look Devilish Donnie in the eye to beat him.”

Racing first-over and a length off Devilish Donnie at the three-quarter marker, timed in 1:23.1, Wiseman was respectfully optimistic.

“I thought I had a shot at the three-quarters, but as I said, I knew Devilish Donnie wouldn’t quit.”

Now under a drive and gaining with an eighth of a mile to go, D Jokerman would realize that he was going to have to dig down as deep as he could, given Devilish Donnie already was.

“I passed Devilish Donnie at the seven-eighths, but he came back on me. My horse, though, doesn’t quit either. I knew it was going to be a battle to the wire, but my horse was able to prevail.”

Closing in determined fashion to wear down a tough as nails Devilish Donnie in the shadow of the wire, D Jokerman would win ($5.20) by three-quarters of a length in a great 1:51.2, a lifetime mark and the fastest mile of the year at Cal-Expo. Latino Hall (Jim Lackey) finished another three lengths farther back in third.

“My hat goes off to Devilish Donnie because he’s just a true racehorse, who, as I said a couple of times, just never quits. It was a great race and certainly going the fastest mile of the year was a big mile. My thanks goes out to owner Maurice Sigmon and trainer George Reider for giving me the opportunity to drive this horse all the time,” concluded Wiseman.

On the Friday night card, Ed Hensley had four driving wins, giving him 3,999 career driving wins. Driver Jim Lackey remained just two wins away from 3,000 lifetime triumphs.

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Saturday night (June 21) at 5:55 p.m. (PDT). On Saturday at Cal-Expo it’s Dollar Night, on which hot dogs, beer, soda, and wine will be sold for one dollar each.