Hensley celebrates birthday in winner's circle

He may not have equaled this past Saturday when he won his 4,000th race and one of his own set a track record on a night where he won six races, but Ed Hensley still couldn't complain about his Thursday night, on which he victoriously celebrated his 42nd birthday.

Conditioned pacers were featured at Cal-Expo to start off the racing week, on which Above Timberline got back on the winning track.

Coming away seventh from post position five in the field of 10, driver Hensley was tickled with the hot :27.4 first quarter set by Cat Burgler (Steve Desomer), this despite getting jammed up at the quarter-pole when the pace started to slow down.

"I absolutely loved the :27.4 first quarter because it's good to get the race going when you're coming from the back," said Hensley.

Pulling and briefly flushing cover that would go back inside after holding him up a little bit, Hensley, at the half-mile marker, timed in :57.3, was hardly concerned that he had 2 1/2 lengths to his cover.

"I was liking it at the half because I thought I was in a good spot even though I was going to have to catch up to my cover."

Not catching up to his cover until being third-over past the five-eighths mile pole, Hensley wasn't worried.

"I didn't have to use him much at all."

With the field now approaching the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:26, Hensley knew it was time to push the button.

"I could see that Beach Beach Beach (Steve Wiseman), who was first-over, was starting to stagger a little bit. So I fanned three deep to the three-quarters, but then Check Raisin (Steve Hyman) came out in front of me, so I went four deep. My horse was pacing right by them at that point and I knew I was winning."

Quickly moving up to second at the top of the lane, Hensley would urge his charge on entering the stretch and the gelding would respond by taking over the lead to the seven-eighths mile pole, but then would "appear" to not go on with a sixteenth of a mile to go, but Hensley states otherwise.

"He was fine down the stretch and was already in the lead halfway down the stretch when I decided to just let him pace on his own from that point on while having a half-length lead. He was a well-measured winner."

Only urged once late, the Greig Watson bred, owned, and trained 5 year old won ($5.40) by a half-length, in 1:55.2, a lifetime best.  Cat Burgler was a game second, and Late Bloomer (Lemoyne Svendsen) finished 1 1/2 lengths farther back, in third.

"I was very impressed with him," finished Hensley.

For Hensley, the victory was one of four on the night, thus giving him 10 wins over the last two cards. (Cal Expo)

Jim Lackey remained just one win away from 3,000 career driving triumphs.

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