by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Cal-Expo

Sacramento, CA — Three-year-old fillies, on both gaits, were featured at Cal-Expo on Friday night (November 27) in California Sires Stakes action.

In the first of the two $15,000 non-wagering events held prior to the races, this for the trotters, Sheila’s Dream never looked back. Firing out from post five in the field of the same number, Sheila’s Dream made the front as the field entered the first turn while on her way to a very fast first quarter, timed in :28.2. Her pilot, however, wasn’t worried with the speedy opening split.

“The wind was at our back in the first turn, so it was wind-aided,” noted Rick Plano. “She did it fairly easily and I wasn’t really concerned.”

Rated in a :30.4 second quarter breather while reaching the half-mile marker in :59.1, Plano would take a look back to the 9-16ths-mile pole and let out a bit of a notch on his charge before definitely letting out a full notch at the five-eighths-mile station while now on top by 2-1/2 lengths with Dani California (Tim Maier) on the move.

“She felt pretty good on the final turn and I was just letting her trot her mile.”

Now leading by 2-3/4 lengths at the three-quarter pole, timed in 1:28.3, Plano soon put the final nail in the coffin.

“I popped the earplugs into the lane and she responded and basically won in hand.”

In full gear at the top of the stretch and opening up the lead by four lengths with an eighth of a mile to go, the filly would win easily by 5-1/2 lengths. Owned by Maurice Sigmon in partnership with trainer George Reider, Sheila’s Dream stopped the timer in a very nice 1:57.3, a lifetime best and her third win in a row. Dani California finished in second and Firewall (Rich Wojcio) could only find her best stride in the last eighth of a mile and finished another 5-1/2 lengths farther back in third.

“She’s on her game right now and she’s very good,” finished Plano.

Pacers were next in the spotlight, in which Haggin Oaks wasn’t gong to be denied. Blasting out from post four in the field of four, Haggin Oaks had an easy lead just after a sixteenth of a mile. Slowing up the tempo after an eighth of a mile, trainer James Kennedy yielded the lead to the quarter pole after pushing the pace some into a fast first quarter, timed in :28.

Now in the pocket to Castle Oaks (Tim Maier) through a first half-mile in :59, Kennedy chased after his filly to the five-eighths-mile pole while Castle Oaks opened up past that station while under a grip.

Now 2-3/4 lengths back at the three-quarter marker, timed in 1:27.4, Kennedy gave himself a much better chance than what met the eye as Castle Oaks appeared gone.

“My filly spun a knee boot in the final turn and it fell down to the ground so she was hitting her knee pretty good,” stated Kennedy. “But I still thought my chances were good because I knew once she straightened out that she wouldn’t touch her knee which is why I thought she’d still be okay.”

Under urging and finally into full gear at the seven-eighths pole, Kennedy would go to work even harder on his pupil.

“When she dug into gear I believed she was going to go right on by because I thought Castle Oaks might stop because she had gotten so far ahead of me — but she didn’t stop and was still digging pretty good. As a result, I had to drive a little harder. My horse was giving everything she had because she knew she was catching Castle Oaks.”

Owned by Shari Burns, Ferris Funk and Gerald Cimini, Haggin Oaks flew late to just get up by a head in 1:55.4, equaling a lifetime mark. Castle Oaks just failed while second, and Persuade Me (Lemoyne Svendsen) finished another 2-1/4 lengths farther back in third.

“She’s a good mare with a lot of potential which she continues to show me in almost every race,” finished Kennedy.

The wagering feature on the card was an $8,000 Filly & Mare Open Handicap Pace, in which the Indiana Downs invader Zoom Past You flew to win.

Owned by David Brunck in partnership with Don and Roselea Conrad, the Chris Conrad trained 4-year-old won ($22.60) by a neck for driver Lemoyne Svendsen in 1:54.1. Don’t Tempt Me (Luke Plano) had to settle for second while closing well, and the pacesetting (:28.3, :57.3, 1:25.1) Biggest Big Bertha (Rick Plano), who looked home free at the head of the lane with a big lead, got tired late and finished in third, one length father back.