The Bob Johnson stable was hot at Cal-Expo last Saturday night (March 3), accounting for three of the first six races on the card with Mooney Svendsen doing the honours, including victories in the Glen Holt Memorial Pace and the Open Trot.

Johnson, who will turn 75 next month, has now made 2,533 trips to the winner’s circle in his career with over $12 million in earnings.

While a hat trick is great in anybody’s book, it doesn’t come close to matching the night of winners Bob sent out at Los Alamitos on February 11, 2000, when he won an amazing eight races.

“I remember the date because I have a picture at home that was taken with all eight horses,” Johnson related. “There were some nice ones in that group, including Kaycees Doll, who won the $250,000 Lloyd Arnold down there.”

Johnson’s triple last Saturday started out with Talkin Tootsie recording her third win on the season from five appearances as she hung a neck decision on 1-5 favourite Pridecrest in the co-featured Open Trot. Marin Garey and Henry Weiseneck own the mare.

Two races later, it was the Johnson-owned, bred and trained 11-year-old trotter Franks Best who added another win to his resume, which now includes $270,000 in earnings.

Rounding things out was Allmyxsliventexas, who ended up in a dead-heat with Gorgeous For Real in the Open Pace for owner-breeders and longtime clients Wayne and Rod Knittel.

“I’d been in a bit of a slump going into that night, so it was extra nice,” Johnson said. “I’ll tell you, winning never gets old.”

Bob was asked to talk a little about each of the winners.

“To be honest, I was just hoping to get a cheque with Talkin Tootsie, because she had missed a few weeks. I thought she went a super mile to beat a very nice trotter in Pridecrest.”

Franks Best is one of the most popular performers on the grounds and was picking up his second snapshot on the year while using his patented late charge. “No question, he’s my all-time favourite. He just keeps on going at age 11, and he still has that desire to win.”

Johnson has always been high on the Knittels’ Hi Ho Silverheels homebred Allmyxsliventexas, who has a 1:51.4 mark that was set last year at Running Aces and is closing in on the $100,000 earnings plateau.

“That was a solid group and I wasn’t sure how things were going to shake out early, but Mooney was able to work out a great trip. I think this horse is really coming up to some big races.”

Contentious lineup set for Open Pace

Gorgeous For Real and Allmyxsliventexas, who dead-heated in last weekend’s Glen Holt Memorial, are among the major players in Friday night’s (March 9) $5,500 Open Pace.

First post for the 11-race card is 6:10 p.m. Pacific, and there will be a pair of California Sire Stakes decided as non-betting events prior to the regular card.

The Glen Holt Memorial was contested over a track labeled “good”, and Gorgeous For Real carved out all the fractions with William Hernandez while Allymxsliventexas sat a tracking trip with Mooney Svendsen and came first-over at the half. At the wire, the pair could not be separated and shared the victory after a 1:53.4 mile.

Gorgeous For Real is a four-year-old son of Hes Gorgeous who goes about his business for the partnership of Wilkinson, Schwartz, Axelrod, and O’Neill with Junior Wilkinson conditioning. He won for the third time from seven starts on the year and will do his work from post nine in the field of 10 this weekend.

Allymxsliventexas is owned and was bred by Wayne and Rod Knittel with Bob Johnson calling the shots. He sports three snapshots this season from eight appearances with a 1:51.4 mark while closing in on $100,000 in earnings. He departs from post eight for this go-around.

Im An Athlete has several wins at the head of the class at this meeting, but will have to deal with the demanding outside slot in this full field. James Kennedy guides the Ronald Rettig-Zucchi-owned, Jessie Pacheco-trained son of Art Major.

(Cal-Expo)