Cicero, IL — He’zzz A Wise Sky and Marvelous Mystery concluded their 2023 campaigns with convincing repeat victories in their respective Open Paces on Friday night (Dec. 29) at Hawthorne.

He’zzz A Wise Sky’s (Kyle Wilfong) win was his fourth straight Open local triumph. The former Illinois Harness Horse of the Year finished the year with a gaudy record of 12 victories in 24 starts, all of those wins coming in Open Paces or ICF championship events. The John Filomeno-trained homebred stallion will enter his 7-year-old season in 2024 with roughly a 50 percent lifetime winning clip, going 48-for-102 while raking in almost $668,000 for Triple ZZZ Stable.

He’zzz A Wise Sky won his fourth consecutive race Friday night in Hawthorne’s $11,100 Open Pace. Four Footed Fotos.

As expected, Wilfong hustled He’zzz A Wise Sky out from the assigned outside post seven as the starting gate wings flew open. The even-money pacer had company as Hello Sweetie Boy (Travis Seekman) flew out from post six and Mr Charisma (Brandon Bates) was full of pace from post four.

He’zzz A Wise Sky was three-wide through the first turn before clearing the eventual pocket horse Hello Sweetie Boy through a :28 first quarter. There were no changes in the race when the son of Yankee Skyscraper hit the half-mile pole in 56.2. After the three quarters in 1:24.1, the outcome wasn’t in doubt. He’zzz A Wise Sky pulled away and won in 1:52.3 while Mr Charisma rallied from the three-hole past Hello Sweetie Boy for runner-up honors.

Marvelous Again: A couple races earlier on the eight-race program, in the Open for pacing fillies and mares, driver Todd Warren was content to take even-money favorite Marvelous Marshia back to fifth and last through the early going as Kizzzmelikeumissme (Kyle Wilfong) got away with a comfortable :29.1 first quarter. Kizzzmelikeumissme stepped things up in the second quarter, pacing a :28 flat panel with Roan By Design (Travis Seekman) in the pocket.

Soon after the :57.1 half, Warren put Marvelous Marshia on the move and out of last. The Jim Eaton-trained mare picked up live cover when 3-year-old filly Stormy Serena came out of third, following the Ohio-bred invader through most of the :28.4 third quarter.

In the lane, Marvelous Marshia ($4.00) took an outside lane and kept gradually gaining ground on the early leaders. In the last sixteenth of the mile, the 4-year-old Always A Virgin mare sprinted to the lead with authority, winning by a length in 1:54 for her second consecutive Hawthrone Open victory.

Marvelous Marshia is owned by William C. and W. Patrick DeLong.