by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — He had to call from within despite a perfect trip, but Tens Hanover gave the answer that was needed for his hot pilot.

Claiming handicap pacers, in to be claimed from $18,000 to $25,000, raced for the winner’s share of a $6,300 purse on Wednesday night (June 20) at Cal-Expo, in which Tens Hanover provided one of five victories on the night for driver Luke Plano.

Prior to starting from post position four in the field of six, Plano gave his horse a major chance.

“I thought my chances were as good as anybody else’s as my horse has been in good form, but it was a pretty competitive field,” said Plano. “I did sort of plan on leaving out of there as I felt nobody to my left could stop me — but I still wanted to see what happened behind the gate.”

Leaving sharply and obtaining the lead just before the field entered the first turn, Tens Hanover would attempt to take matters into his own hands.

“Once he was on the lead, my horse shut down a little bit. Then when I saw Temptation (Tim Maier) moving up for the lead, I didn’t want him to get down to the quarter too easily, so I asked my horse to go on a little so as to push Temptation a little bit so we didn’t get to the quarter in :29 and change. I didn’t, however, use my horse much in asking him to go on a bit.”

Well positioned in the pocket at the quarter-mile pole, timed in :28.4, Plano was cautiously optimistic.

“From the quarter pole, I figured my horse would be tough, but I also figured Temptation, off of what I considered to still be a soft first quarter, would be tough.”

Right there in the pocket through the first half of the second quarter, Tens Hanover would react to the actions of Tim Maier when Maier asked for a little more from his charge.

“When Timmy (Maier) tapped on his horse a little bit to the 7-16th-mile pole, it geared my horse up a little, which is why he got right up on Timmy’s helmet.”

Now pushing Temptation to the half-mile pole, timed in :57.2, Plano echoed his thoughts from a quarter of a mile earlier.

“I still thought my horse would be tough, but I still figured Temptation was the one to beat.”

Now under a hold to and through the final turn, all while sitting a tight and anxious pocket as the field reached the three-quarter marker, timed in 1:25.4, Plano gave good reason to be very optimistic.

“My horse felt very strong and that, combined with him finishing very well in his last three starts, allowed me to know he’d give me a nice brush down the lane while having a very strong chance.”

Out of the pocket just into the stretch and under urging, Tens Hanover would take a short lead at the seven-eighth-mile pole, but the race was far from over.

“He came out of the hole really strong and I thought I was going to blow right by Temptation, but Temptation hung tougher than I thought. My horse fought him down the lane and called on his class late in the drive and ended up prevailing.”

Owned by KC Carvalho and trained by Tom Wine ll, Tens Hanover, in winning by a neck, would stop the timer at 1:54.2, his 20th career win. For Temptation, who went down fighting, he’d have to settle for second, while Most Happy Lavros (Rick Plano) finished another two lengths back in third.

For the young Plano, the victory was the third of his five driving wins on the card. A card that saw Plano’s father, Rick, train four winners.

Live racing resumes at Cal-Expo on Thursday, June 21, continuing through Saturday. Post time on Thursday is at 5:35 p.m. (PDT). Post time on Fridays and Saturdays is now at 6:15 p.m. On Thursday, Cal-Expo offers Fiesta Thursdays, in which fans can enjoy $2.00 frozen margaritas and tacos!

Cal-Expo offers guaranteed $10,000 pools on all Pick-4’s!