Pompano Beach, FL —  Muscles For Life and Seeing Eye Single shared the spotlight at Pompano Park on Monday night (Jan. 25), each taking top honors in their respective $11,500 Open events, while Southwind Amazon earned his 100th career victory in style, stopping the timer in 1:49.3.

Southwind Amazon achieved his milestone 100th career win in 1:49.3 with David Miller in the bike. Dee Leftwich photo.

Southwind Amazon finally reached the coveted 100 career win plateau with a splendid 1:49.3 performance in a conditioned pace. The ageless and courageous 11-year-old gelded son of Camluck survived a rough opening panel in :26.1 where he was three-deep before taking charge and then went on to post fractions of :54.3 and 1:22.1 before a :27.2 final panel capped the milestone win.

Trained by Paul Holzman for owner Ameer Najor, Southwind Amazon has won for some two dozen different drivers at 16 racetracks throughout North America but, oddly enough, it was David Miller who was in the bike for this milestone win — the first time he has been behind Southwind Amazon.

After the race, Miller said, “That was some performance by ‘Amazon.’ He almost seemed to know that this was going to be his moment He was determined from start to finish and it was like he was gritting his teeth to say ‘let’s get this done!

“It was an amazing mile by any horse, but, he being 11, well that was really amazing.”

Southwind Amazon paid $2.20 to win.

Muscles For Life, catch-driven by Mike Simons, took the Open Handicap Trot in 1:53, a track record for older trotting stallions, The 8-year-old son of Muscle Mass, trained by Steve Oldford for owner Jarold Hawks, conquered his six rivals despite beginning his journey from the outside post. His winning margin was one length over the 13-year-old warhorse Cantab Lindy (John MacDonald) with The Lionking AS (Kevin Wallis) just another nose back in third. Sooo Handsome finished fourth over Bucketlist Hanover in the septet.

At the outset, Cantab Lindy, The Lionking AS and Muscles For Life were all in search of the lead with the latter able to outgun those foes prior to the opening panel in :27.1. These three, Muscles For Life, Cantab Lindy and The Lionking AS remained 1-2-3 through subsequent fractions of :55.2 and 1:23.4. In the lane, Muscles For Life was able to withstand the test of time by scooting home in :29.1 for the track record 1:53 score.

After the event, Simons remarked, “Steve (trainer Oldford) said he likes to join in the action from the get-go, so I just let him do his thing. And he sure did his thing tonight. He was smooth as silk all the way and grabbed (the bit) the whole way.”

Muscles For Life earned his second win in three starts this year and 34th in 96 career starts, vaulting his lifetime bankroll to $362,470. As the 7-5 public choice, Muscles For Life paid $4.80 to win.

Seeing Eye Single, with John MacDonald in his sulky, was the last of literally a handful of different leaders in this event, stopping the timer in 1:49.3, a new lifetime mark, considering his other 1:49.3 mile was taken over the larger one mile oval at The Meadowlands.

The 6-year-old gelded son of Dragon Again brushed strongly from sixth around the second turn and secured the lead heading into the final bend and reported home a one length winner over the late-charging Ideal Feeling (Rick Plano). Kinnder Jackson (Mike Simons), closed fastest of all and finished third, 1-3/4 lengths away, with Alluneedisfaith N fourth. Real Peace picked up the nickel in the field of seven.

The event was action packed from the word “go” as Kinnder Jackson was first off the wings with Lyons Night Hawk (Kevin Wallis) also surging and taking command at the opening quarter in a hot :26. Shortly thereafter, Real Peace forged his way to the front only to give way to Rebellious halfway through in :53.3.

It was on the backside that Seeing Eye Single made his serious bid and he took command around the final bend in 1:21.2. In the lane, with Seeing Eye Single up by a length, Ideal Feeling was surging along with Kinnder Jackson, who had been shuffled back to seventh but was closing fastest of all. But Seeing Eye Single’s :28.1 finale got the job done for MacDonald, who was in the bike for Devan Miller, who trains for Sylvia Burke.

Seeing Eye Single now shows a 2-0-1 scorecard in four starts this semester with this win being his 21st win in 73 career starts, good for $453,827. Off at 9-1, Seeing Eye Single rewarded his faithful with a $21.00 mutuel.

Racing continues on Tuesday night with an 11-race program highlighted by the Open Handicap Pace for mares and a Pick-4 with a guaranteed pool of $20,000. Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.