Three year-old colts and geldings, on both gaits, were featured at Cal Expo on Saturday night (November 27) in a pair of $15,000 California Sires Stakes, on which Franks Best and Hi Ho Steverino were victorious
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In the first of the two non-betting events help prior to the wagering card over a sloppy track, this for the trotters, Franks Best repeated.
Coming away last from post four in the field of five for driver Lemoyne Svendsen, the duo remained at the caboose through first-half fractions of :30.3 & 1:02.
On the move uncovered to the half, then back inside to the 9-16ths pole and now fourth, Svendsen had his charge back out and on the move to the midway point of the final-turn, then got second-over cover at the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:32.4. Was Svendsen happy for the cover?
"I really didn't need it or use it much because I wanted to put him in the better footing," stated Svendsen.
Moving three-wide for the drive with momentum, Svendsen asked and received.
"I eased him out at the top of the lane and popped the earplugs when I got next to Big Baller (Steve Desomer) and he just trotted right on and was great in the stretch."
Quickly taking over the lead at the seven-eighths mile pole and not being asked, Svendsen lightly urged his gelding with a sixteenth of a mile to go and the Bob Johnson bred, owned & trained sophomore drew away to win by three-lengths, in 2:03. The pocket sitting Big Baller finished in second, and Online Charger (Steve Wiseman) finished another eight-lengths farther back, in third.
"It was a good mile considering the conditions," finished Svendsen.
Next up were the pacing boys, on which Hi Ho Steverino got the hat-trick.
Firing out from post-five for driver Luke Plano in the field of a half-dozen, the gelding got extended for the lead by the pace-pushing Lucky Peterson (Steve Wiseman) until clearing to the point into a :29.1 opening quarter. Was the lead testy?
"Not really, my horse was pretty comfortable at that point and I knew I was going to get there eventually," said Plano. "But the :29.1 was more than I wanted it to be."
Taking a hold of his charge early in the second-quarter, the young Plano gave his pacer a :31.2 breather while reaching the half-mile station, timed in 1:00.3.
"The second-quarter was just what I wanted and was a nice breather off the first-quarter."
Urging his horse on some past the half-mile pole and again to the five-eighths mile marker, Plano popped the earplugs at the five-eighths mile pole and his pacer shifted into an extra gear.
"He's a lazy horse, but the main reason I urged him on was because the two best horses in the race were Lucky Peterson in the two-hole behind me and Lilys Hi Ho (Lemoyne Svendsen), who was first-up. So I kind of had to get in gear because I didn't want to serve it up to either of them."
On top by two-lengths at the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:29.4, Plano knew what he had, but was also respectful of his foes.
"My horse felt pretty strong, but I also knew that once Lucky Peterson straightened out and leveled off that he could be tough."
Now under a drive with Lilys Hi Ho creeping closer, was Plano concerned?
"I could hear Svendsen hollering, but I didn't know how close he was because I was peddling and paying attention to my horse. I felt I drove to beat him and if he was good enough from there - - then it was him. As it turns out, he made a costly break."
With Lilys How jumping it off with an eighth of a mile to go, Plano now had to deal with pocket pulling Lucky Peterson with a little more than a sixteenth of a mile left to race.
"I knew when Lucky Peterson pulled and was coming that he had a little 'go,' but my horse was still strong."
Holding firm in deep-stretch, Hi Ho Steverino won by 1-1/4-lengths. Bred in part by owner Rod Knittel, the Rick Plano trained youngster stopped the timer at 1:58.3, thus recording his fourth win in the last five starts, including three straight victories in the Sires Stakes. Lucky Peterson was no-match to the winner and finished in second, and Amigo De Garcia (Tim Maier) finished 7-3/4-lengths farther back, in third.
"The horse is in the best shape of his life and is very sharp right now," concluded Plano, who recorded six wins on the 15 race program. For the meet's leading driver, he has now piloted twenty winners over the last five cards, including a 7-bagger on November 20.
Live harness racing resumes at Cal Expo on Thursday (December 2) and continues through Saturday (December 4). Approximate first-race post-time is 5:40 p.m. (PST).