Don't Tempt Me a winner at Cal Expo

She was facing her toughest test ever, not to mention a change in tactics, but Don't Tempt Me was still up to the task in the $5,400 Open II Filly & Mare Handicap Pace at Cal-Expo on Thursday night over a track listed as "good."

In advance of starting from post position three in the field of seven, driver James Kennedy knew the competition was tougher.

"I really wasn't sure what my chances were because it was a hike in class for her," stated Kennedy. "I thought Amber Delight (Steve Wiseman) would leave and I would leave out of there to get the pocket trip behind her. But when Amber Delight didn't leave and My Fanny (Luke Plano) did, which had me on the lead, I didn't know if she was going to be able to hold on the front-end."

Getting the lead just a sixteenth of a mile past the start, Kennedy chasee after his charge a bit in a first quarter, timed in :29.1. Getting an easy :30.2 second quarter, the 5 year old reached the half-mile juncture in :59.3.

"I knew we were going slow early and I was expecting someone to come in the second quarter--but nobody did. As a result, at the half, I felt real good because I knew going slow was good for my mare."

Chasing after his mare throughout the third quarter, Don't Tempt Me and Kennedy tripped the beam at the three-quarter pole in 1:28.2.

"I knew I was home free at the three-quarters because I felt that my mare had the fastest final quarter speed in the race."

Now under urging in the stretch and drawing clear to the seven-eighths marker, there would be no catching Don't Tempt Me as she stormed home in :26.4.

"She did everything I asked and kept on going forward through the stretch."

Owned by Keith Ballard, Lester Hunsucker, and James Yates, the Tom Wine ll-trained lass would win ($10) by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:55.1. Sintillating (Tim Maier) finished in second and My Fanny finished another length back in third.

"It was a great win for her," concluded Kennedy. (Cal Expo)

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