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

By Mike Paradise

He’zzz A Wise Sky and Marvelous Mystery concluded their 2023 campaigns with convincing repeat victories in their respective Open Paces Friday night at Hawthorne.

 He’zzz A Wise Sky’s (Kyle Wilfong) triumph was his fourth straight Open local triumph. The former Illinois Harness Horse of the Year finished the year with a gaudy record of season wins in exactly half of his outings and all 12 victories in 24 starts came in Open paces or ICF championship events.

 The John Filomeno trained home bred stallion will enter his seven-year-old season in 2024 with over a 50 per pent lifetime winning clip, going 48 for 102 while raking in almost $668,000 for his Beecher, Illinois owners Triple ZZZ Stable.

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

 He’zzz A Wise Sky was three-wide through the first turn before clearing the eventual pocket horse Hello Sweetie Boy. With the temperature at freezing (32 degrees), a 28 flat first quarter was sufficient to take command. 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 (1:24.1) the outcome wasn’t in doubt.

 He’zzz A Wise Sky pulled away and won in 1:52.3 while the three-hole horse Mr. Charisma rallied past for runner-up honors over Hello Sweetie Boy.

 Marvelous Again:  A couple races earlier on the eight-race program in the Open for filly and mare pacer, driver Todd Warren was content to take the even-money favorite Marvelous Marsha back to fifth and last through the early going as Kissmelikeumissme (Kyle Wilfong) got away with a comfortable 29.1 first quarter on the front-end.

 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 half Warren put Marvelous Marsha on the move and out of last. The Jim Eaton trained mare picked up live over when the 3-year-old filly Stormy Serena came out of third, following the Ohio bred invader through most of the third quarter, timed in 1:26 flat.

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

 Marvelous Marsha is owned by William C. De Long Clinton, Wisconsin) and William P. De Long of South Beloit, Illinois.