Favored Point of Reference came from last in the eight-horse field and caught Whispering Express at the wire to win the $76,190 California State Fair Sprint Handicap on Saturday at Sacramento. Ridden by Inoel Beato, Point of Reference benefitted from a speed duel between Whispering Express and Strawberry Tart. They exchanged the lead through fractions of 21.42 and 44.26 in the six-furlong dirt race for fillies and mares. Whispering Express put away Strawberry Tart before hitting the stretch and held off all rivals but Point of Reference. Point of Reference won by a neck in 1:10.42, with Whispering Express finishing three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher U R All That I Am. Point of Reference, a Benchmark mare owned by Ivor and Jack Jones and trained by Frank Lucarelli, returned $4.60.