To
be the best, you have to beat Franks Best, and that's not happening right now.
Winners-Over
trotters, racing for a purse of $4,500, were featured at Cal Expo on Friday
night (April 6), on which Franks Best changed tactics and won for the 24th time
in his career.
Leaving
from his assigned post-five in the field of five, did driver Lemoyne Svendsen
eye the pocket an eighth of a mile past the start?
"James
(Kennedy) was taking a hold so much with Putoneonnetformom that I couldn't get
in there because it was so tight," stated Svendsen. "So I said, 'okay, let's go.'"
Clearing
to the front a good ways after 3-16ths of a mile into a :30 opening quarter,
did the lead for the usually closing Franks Best concern Svendsen?
"I
didn't mind the spot I was in at that time because Frankie has been so good
that I thought he might do well on the front."
Trotting
an easy second-quarter while reaching the half-mile juncture, timed in :59.4,
Franks Best proceeded to trot an effortless third-quarter, while getting his
earplugs popped at the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:28.4.
"I
had been setting a nice even pace, but at the three-quarters, I was just trying
to gradually pick up speed with him.
When I popped the earplugs, he took off, but with Putoneonnetformom on
my back, I knew it was going to be a dash for the house."
Accelerating
to the head of the lane, but with the pocket sitting Putoneonnetformom just
1-1/2 lengths back, Franks Best couldn't put his archrival away at the
seven-eighths mile station, thus Svendsen went to work, yet was confident.
"At
that point I kind of thought Frankie was going to hold him because he had his
head down trotting and he was trotting hard."
With
Putoneonnetformom now creeping closer with a sixteenth of a mile to go, Franks
Best had a message for his opponent.
"Frankie
said, 'no, no, no - - you're not going by,' and he didn't."
Only
under hand urging in the last sixteenth of a mile, the five year-old held on by
a head. Bred, owned & trained by Bob
Johnson, the gelding won ($4.00) in 1:56.4, a lifetime best. Putoneonnetformom was second best, and Giles
L S Hanover (Steve Wiseman) finished four-lengths farther back, in third.
"That
little horse was just unbelievable tonight - - he's just a trotting
machine," finished Svendsen.
Live
racing continues at Cal Expo on Saturday ( April 7) at 6:00 p.m. (PDT). On Saturday, Cal Expo offers Happy Hour from
4:00-7:00 p.m. on which Beer; Well Drinks & Wine are offered at $4 each,
while Hotdogs, Fries & Sodas are offered at $2 apiece.
Cal
Expo currently offers a reduced 15 percent takeout rate on all Pick 4’s. Additionally, all Late Pick 4’s now come with
an increased $20,000-guaranteed gross pool.
Also, the Friday Late Pick 4 will offer a 0% takeout on all winning
wagers made on track or at Twinspires.com, while the Saturday Late Pick 4 will
be broadcast on TVG.
