Pompano Beach, FL – Ideal Feeling, superbly handled by Dave Ingraham, held off the determined late charge from Mach West to score a narrow repeat win in Pompano Park’s Open Handicap Pace on Sunday night (Nov. 22) in 1:50.4, the identical time of last week’s win.

The 5-year-old son of American Ideal left with alacrity from his outside post (seven with a scratch) and swept into the lead with Mach West (post four with Wally Hennessey)) finding the garden spot early through panels of :26.4, :54.4 and 1:22.3. In the lane, Ideal Feeling, drifting out slightly, then used a :28.1 finale to hold off Mach West’s charge along the pylons. The winning margin was a neck with Loud Splash (John MacDonald) third, two lengths away.

Dash Of Danger paced an “even-steven” mile to be fourth while Lets Roll, who put in a mild challenge around the final bend, picked up the minor award in the field reduced to seven with the scratch of Real Peace.

Trained by Peter Blood for owner Rick Berks, Ideal Feeling earned his seventh win of the year in 21 starts to send his 2020 bounty to $70,688 and $267,693 lifetime to go along with his 1:48.4 Meadowlands mark this season.

In a post-race interview, trainer Peter Blood related, “You know, he’s just the nicest horse to be around, handy, great personality and can be handled with two fingers. He is the true definition of a ‘race horse.’ He likes off the pace better but, with the outside post, he had to be sent forward at the start tonight, just like last week. He’s earned a week off after these two trips, that’s for sure.”

Sent off as the 3-5 tote-board favorite, Ideal Feeling paid $3.40 to win.

The Open II Pace went to Joe Chindano, Jr’s Skip To My Lou, who roared home in :27.2 to score a repeat win in 1:51.4 over Plus One (Wally Hennessey) with Brandon Hanover (Tyler Smith) rounding out the top three. Mac Anover and La Rockin  Sampson earned the minors in the sharp septet.

Skip To My Lou is a 4-year-old gelded son of Sweet Lou and this win was his fourth of the year in 14 starts, sending his seasonal bounty to $24,571 and $107,701 lifetime. He paid $2.60 as the 1-5 tote-board favorite.

In other action, four $12,000 divisions of the FSBOA sponsored Sunshine State Stakes Finals for 2-year-olds were contested on Sunday night—two of these non-betting events—with Ifnotmewho and Prairie Sweetness capturing those on the pari-mutuel card and Shulda Hada Drink and Theflyingrock taking top honors in the non-wagering races.

Ifnotmewho, a daughter of Credit Winner-Pana Colada, earned her second straight win in the filly trot with a courageous late surge near the wire to score in 1:59 for Wally Hennessey—the margin a half-length over Prairie Virtue (Mike Simons) with Caio Bella (Alessandro Spano) third, 3-3/4 lengths away. West Haven and Prairie Trinket earned the final two awards in the field of seven.

It was Caio Bella, who blasted off the wings to take the field through panels of :29.1 and 1:00. On the backside, with three-eighths to go, Prairie Virtue left her cozy pocket to take command with Ifnotmewho following and settling back in right behind as they straightened away for the drive home. At mid-stretch, Ifnotmewho began gnawing away and got there just in time.

Hennessey also trains the filly for owner Herman Brewer. With this win, her scorecard improves to 2-3-2 in 10 starts, good for $36,953.

As the 1-2 favorite, Ifnotmewho returned $3 to her multitude of backers.

Prairie Sweetness, involved in photo finishes is her first two career starts, got the nod in this her third trip back of the starting gate for Kevin Wallis in the filly pace, by edging past favored Sheza Terror (Wally Hennessey) at the wire to score in 1:56.4, lowering her lifetime best by 3-1/5 seconds. Ms Rodeo Drive (Dave Ingraham) overcame the outside post to garner third while Gator Babe was next. Rocks StormyD earned the final check in the octet.

At the outset, KK’s Dream Girl, Sheza Terror and Prairie Sweetness were one-two-three off the wings but prior to the opening panel in :28.4, KK’s Dream Girl suffered a broken hobble hanger and was forced to pull out allowing Sheza Terror to inherit the top spot with Prairie Sweetness on her tail.

Prairie Sweetness, a daughter of Royel Millennium-Taylors Lady wound up stalking the leader the rest of the way through fractions of :58.4 and 1:28.3 and just did squeak by in the very last stride on the strength of her :28 finale.

With a scorecard reading 2-0-1 in just three starts, Prairie Sweetheart has banked $8,286 in her first month on the racetrack.

Trained by Mike Deters, who co-owns with Laurie Poulin, Prairie Sweetness paid $6 as second choice in the betting.

Shulda Hada Drink, took top honors in the juvenile trot featuring colts and geldings as this altered son of Shibboleth Hanover-Seminole Wind took a new lifetime mark with a near gate-to-wire romp in 1:58.2 in just his third lifetime start.

Driven by Mike Simons for trainer George Coblentz and owner Nick Coblentz, Shulda Hada Drink posted numbers of :29.1, :59.1 and 1:28.3 to eclipse his former mark in his only other win by three full seconds.

Ifnotnowwhen (Wally Hennessey) was second, 9-1/4 lengths away, while the pocket-sitting Seeking Matthew (Sergio Corona), finished third over Jo Jo Jet, who completed the quartet.

Theflyingrock, also driven by Mike Simons, a winner last week in 1:54.2, proved that mile was no fluke as he blazed through panels of :27, :54.3 and 1:23 before hold on late to score by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:53.1, of course a new career best.

The very fast closing Hey Don’t Tell Me (Mike Micallef) was second while Mister David C was next in the quintet. Buddha Beach and Lucky Ramsey completed that roster.

Theflyingrock, a gelded son of Rockingcam-Itstimeformetofly, is trained by Wayne Carter, who co-owns with Jean Carter.

Finally, there were several notable performances in the driver category on Sunday night with top honors going to Rick Plano, who scored a consecutive driving triple in the Late Pick-3. Plano started things off with a ninth race win with Rockin Machine ($21.20), took the 10th with Imagineuwithoutme ($7.40) and the finale with McMach ($4) to reward the Pick-3 Send It In Army with a $168.40 payday for the 50-cent ducat.

Plano trains all three, as well, and gave wife Maryann an owners triple as sole owner of Rockin Machine and Imagineuwithoutme and part owner of McMach with Jan and Mindy Findling Repko.

Wally Hennessey also had a driving triple with Ifnotmewho ($3), Caviart Reagan ($3.60) and Sand Sniper ($9.40).

Mike Simons also hit the winner’s circle three times as he swept both ends of the non-wagering Sunshine State Stakes with the aformentioned Shulda Hada Drink and Theflyingrock and got the triple with How Are Yee John ($4.60).

Racing resumes Monday night (Nov. 23) with a post time scheduled for 7:20 p.m. and the Super Hi-5 finale carryover ballooning to $9,678.26.