‘Moonie’ Svendsen captures 3,000th victory at Running Aces
August 18, 2014,from Running Aces
Columbus, MN — Lemoyne ‘Moonie’ Svendsen reached the coveted 3,000 win plateau at Running Aces on Sunday night (Aug. 17).
Dee Leftwich photo
Lemoyne Svendsen is greeted in the Running Aces winner’s circle by his wife Jodi and director of racing Gregg Keidel following his 3,000th career victory.
The 55-year-old Minnesota native (born in Albert Lea) drove his first winner at an Iowa county fair at age 16 in 1975 and has won races in each of the 39 years since then. The likeable green and yellow-clad reinsman is also approaching the coveted $10 million earnings mark with horses he has steered in his career.
Svendsen’s best year was 2011 when he guided 266 winners and just lost the dash title at Cal Expo (to Luke Plano) in the waning weeks of the meet. Lemoyne has been a mainstay in California harness racing circles for the past 15 years and has been making his summer home at Running Aces for the past five years. He also won 206 races in 2009 and more than 100 in ten other seasons. Earlier in his career Svendsen won dash titles at both Quad City Downs and Thunder Ridge.
The milestone triumph came with Meritage Hanover, fittingly owned and trained by fellow native Minnesotan Mark Anderson, for whom Svendsen has driven regularly over the past couple years. An adept passing lane move allowed Svendsen to gain a thrilling half-length, 1:54.3 victory over Gencor’s Z Tam (Jason Ryan) and Nancy’s Skyscape (Gerry Longo) in a bottom claiming class event. Off at 7-1 odds, Meritage Hanover rewarded $2 backers with a $16.40 win mutuel.
The elated newest member of the 3,000 win club was joined in the winner’s circle by his immediate family — wife Jodi, son Sonny and daughter Kaitlyn.
“My dad got me started in this business as a kid and it’s all I’ve ever done,” chuckled Svendsen after the race. “I’ll never forget the thrill that my first win with a horse called Miss Lasko 40 years ago gave me. For that matter, this one was pretty darned thrilling, too. I must say every win between those two has been exciting as well. Winning never gets old!”