Trainer Bob Johnson and driver Lemoyne ‘Mooney’ Svendsen teamed for a trainer-driver triple on the Tuesday (July 14) program at Running Aces.
Johnson’s own Franks Best took full advantage of his first drop from the Open class to capture a top conditioned trot for his first Minnesota win in six tries. It was the 35th career win for the eight-year-old who topped Margin Call (driven by Rick Magee) and Forceful Gale (Luke Plano) in 1:58.3. Franks Best clocked his lifetime best mile (1:56.2) at Running Aces three years ago.
In the very next race, Native’s Revenge, from the Johnson Stable, copped a top conditioned pace, beating Art Genta (Steve Wiseman) and Beckys Dreamboat (Nick Roland) in 1:54.1. It was the 13th lifetime success for the five-year-old from just 58 starts. Owned by Harold Actkinson, Native’s Revenge’s best-ever effort also came at Running Aces when he scorched the five-eighths mile oval in 1:51.4 in the summer of 2014.
Svendsen and Johnson completed the triple in the nightcap by pulling an upset in a full field of bottom-level pacers. Off at 10-1 odds, Live A Little made a quarter move to the front and never looked back to top Star Of The Game (Dean Magee) and Little Nicky B (Tim Maier) in 1:55.3. Johnson also owns the seven-year-old who now has 27 career triumphs.
A compact field of five went postward in an $8,000 Open Pace on Tuesday with Headsup Yankee (Nick Roland) taking advantage of a perfect pocket trip to upset the favoured Show Runner (Tim Maier) by a head in 1:52.4. Coopers Beach (Luke Plano) finished a close-up third. Minnesota-sired Headsup Yankee (by Relentless Yankee) now has two wins and three place finishes since moving up to the Open ranks. Roland owns, trains and drives the winner who now boasts 18 wins and 14 place finishes in just 60 career starts.
The first two-year-old Minnesota-sired trot of the season also went postward for an $11,000 bounty. The favoured Margins Echo (Rick Magee) was impressive winning gate-to-wire in 2:04. Mikaela Delgiudice owns the freshman son of Abra who topped Mr Jackpot (Brett Ballinger) and Hall Of Riches (Tim Maier).
(Running Aces)