Cowboy Hanover guns to the win at Cal-Expo

The pace was pedestrian and he was sitting last into a sprint, but that didn't prevent Cowboy Hanover from winning his fourth in a row.

Open Handicap pacers, racing for a $6,500 purse, were featured at Cal-Expo on Saturday night, on which Cowboy Hanover flew home again.

Coming away last from post four in the field of the same number with the scratch of Keystone Eli, driver Luke Plano wasn't worried about the slow :28.4 first-quarter set by Split Ticket (Bruce Clarke).

"The quarter didn't concern me because I had expected it and was taking it for what it was worth -- which wasn't much," Plano stated.

Racing anxious in the second quarter mile as a result of a walking, :30.3 second stanza into a :59.2 opening first half, Plano would keep his charge in reserve, as planned.

"The race was going like I thought it would and I was going to stick to my guns - - which was to one-run him."

Still last and racing a loose second-over, but only 2-3/4-lengths back at the three-quarter mile pole, timed in 1:28.2, it was now time for Plano to buckle his seatbelt when he moved his gelding three-wide for the drive.

Taking over the lead with a sixteenth of a mile to go, the 5-year-old would draw clear at the wire to win ($3.20) by 1-1/4 lengths.

Owned by Maryann Plano in partnership with Dave and Kimberly Haness, the Rick Plano-trained pacer would stop the timer at 1:55.1, complimented by a :26.1 final quarter. D Jokerman (Steve Wiseman) was a game first-over second, and Split Ticket, who gave it his all, had to settle for the show honors, while another one-half length farther back.

"The horse is in outstanding form and this is the best he has been since my father (Rick Plano) and Mr. Haness purchased him," the young Plano, who had four winners on the card, finished.(Cal-Expo)

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