TV Mom wins at Cal Expo

Being off two weeks and racing first-over didn't stop the tough as nails TV Mom from winning for the 33rd time.

A field of seven trotters, five in on a condition and two to be claimed, were featured at Cal-Expo on Friday night (February 5), on which TV Mom repeated.

Leaving from post-two in the field of seven and getting the lead after a sixteenth of a mile, driver Lemoyne Svendsen yielded the lead just before the field had traveled an eighth of a mile - - then wouldn't be upset to be in the three-hole at the quarter-mile pole, timed in :29.1.

"That's exactly where I wanted to be because I knew I'd be in striking distance," stated Svendsen.

Remaining third through a first-half mile, timed in :59.4, Svendsen, with one thing on his mind, moved his charge to the outside with 7-16ths of a mile to go.

"I knew I was going to have to get close to Cherry Tree Luke (Rick Plano) before the stretch drive because he can trot just as much as my mare can."

With the field reaching the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:29.2, Rick Plano popped the earplugs of his pace-setting gelding in an attempt to hold off his forward moving challenger who was just a dwindling length behind him.

"When I saw Rick pop the earplugs, I thought I would go a few more steps and pop mine because I wanted to make sure she got straightened out and set.  I thought my chances were real good because she always takes off when I pop the plugs."

Moving up with a rush to take just a neck lead with less than 3-16ths of a mile to go, Svendsen sat pretty chilly.

"She knows what to do and I just let her do it.  And even with Cherry Tree Luke trying to fight back - - there were no concerns."

Getting one moderate urge with a sixteenth of a mile to go, then one lesser urge in deep-stretch, TV Mom scored ($5.00) by an easier than it will look neck.  Owned by Maurice Sigmon and trained by George Reider, the seven year-old stopped the timer at 1:58, equaling a seasonal mark.  Cherry Tree Luke tried hard off a three week layoff and was second, and Easter Call (Jim Lackey) was just a neck farther back, in third.

"It was a two-use race and a nice win," finished Svendsen.

On the Friday night card, driver Luke Plano recorded five wins, while trainer Jill Wine conditioned four winners.(Cal Expo)