By virtue of winning his ninth straight, of which seven have been in 2011, Lilys Hi Ho not only put himself atop the standardbred industry leader board for the most wins of the year, but also atop the list for any breed
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Conditioned-claiming pacers, racing for a purse of $3,200, were featured at Cal Expo on Friday night (February 25), on which Lilys Hi Ho won yet again.
Prior to starting from Post 4 in the field of six, was driver Lemoyne Svendsen concerned that his pacer was the only horse that hadn't raced the week before?
"No, because I had trained him myself and he trained well," stated Svendsen.
With the field sent on their way, Svendsen quickly had to be alert when Hi Ho Steverino (Luke Plano) broke into the first-turn, thus forcing Lilys Hi Ho three and four wide around before tucking in an eighth of a mile past the start into a :29.1 opening quarter.
Now with 3-1/2 lengths to catch Coal Younger (Rick Plano) and Arch Nemeses (James Kennedy), who were the only ones not bothered by the breaker, Svendsen and his charge caught up after 5/16ths of a mile into a :59.2 first-half. Did Svendsen have to use his gelding?
"No, as a matter of fact, I was liking where I was at the half because I was only three-lengths off the lead and had figured I'd be four to five off at the point," he said.
On the move first-over at the 9/16ths pole, did Svendsen make the move because Rick Plano urged on and popped the earplugs of his pace-setting charge?
"Actually, they started coming from behind, so I just wanted to make sure I pulled to get him out in the clear."
Gaining on the final turn and just a neck back at the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:27.4, Svendsen knew he had more.
"I hadn't even popped the earplugs yet so I wasn't really worried."
Forging into the lead and in full gear at the head of the lane, then drawing clear to the seven-eighths mile marker when responding to wheel-disc urging, Svendsen suddenly had an issue with a sixteenth of a mile to go when Lilys Hi Ho got a bit steppy.
"I think the track was stinging him a little bit because it was firm as a result of all the rain on Thursday night and he got a little lumpy. That always concerns me when he does that, but he still just kept on going. Then once he was smoother I got after him a few minor times to make sure he didn't fall asleep and he was just on idle from that point on."
Owned by trainer Bob Johnson, Lilys Hi Ho won ($2.60) by a confident length in 1:55.3. Mighty Fine Hi Ho (Tim Maier) finished in second, and Arch Nemeses (James Kennedy) finished 1-1/2 lengths farther back, in third.
"He went the race as I expected, in that he didn't have much trouble. Getting nine wins in-a-row is a nice feat. Knowing I'm driving the winningest horse in the world is a real nice feat, it's a nice thing in your bonnet," finished Svendsen, who had a driving triple and is now five wins away from 2,500 career victories.
For Svendsen and Johnson, this isn’t the first time they have teamed together to drive and train the winningest horse in the world, as the trotter Challenge The King won six races through February 13 of 2009 to give him that distinction at the time.
Live harness racing continues at Cal Expo on Saturday (February 26) at 6:00 p.m. (PST). On Saturday, fans at Cal Expo and at all California wagering outlets can watch and wager on St Elmo Hero, who has won all 23 of his starts and looks to extend his streak in Saturday night's seventh race at Balmoral Park.
(Cal-Expo)