Trainer Kennedy Lindsey, along with a good percentage of the betting public, expected Meringue to prevail last week at Cal Expo. The hard-knocking trotter did not disappoint, as Luke Plano worked out a perfect two-hole journey over the sloppy going to be up over a game Dudis Angel.
Dawn Evango’s 7-year-old color-bearer, who recently went over the $200,000 earnings plateau, was getting some welcome class relief in last week’s optional selling event and had the extra advantage of proven form over an off track. Add in the pocket trip and anything but a win from Meringue would have qualified as a surprise.
“He’s been going back and forth chasing some good ones and I thought he was a real nice fit in that spot,” Lindsey related. “It also didn’t hurt that he’d raced well before in the slop, so it was all good.”
Kennedy explained that Plano was actually named on two horses in the race at entry time, which prompted a phone call from the trainer to Florida.
“Luke was driving in that series down at Pompano, so I got hold of him and asked which horse he was going to choose. He said mine, because he had missed out on driving him the previous week.”
As mentioned earlier, Plano sat a gorgeous trip behind pace-setting second choice Dudis Angel and overpowered that rival when it counted by three-quarters of a length.
“I don’t give Luke instructions, because he’s driven this horse a gazillion times. When they went out on the track, I just told him I’d see him back in the winner’s circle.”
As far as personality goes, his trainer explained that Meringue is as nice a horse as you would want to be around, although he does have a preference when it comes to people.
“He doesn’t really care for men, but he absolutely loves women.” Apparently he merely tolerates Lindsey and Plano.
