by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Dec. 13, 2016 is a day that Mike Deters will never forget. It started with Deters getting his first chemotherapy treatment and radiation blast for the treatment of cancer. It ended with his Prairie Fortune, the brilliant Florida bred trotter he co-owns with Laurie Poulin, winning the featured $12,000 Open Handicap Trot for driver John MacDonald at Pompano Park, resulting in milestone training victory number 1,000 in a successful career stretching over three decades.

Of course, the victory on this night by Prairie Fortune, in a lifetime best 1:53.2, is secondary to the one he is about to win against cancer — and win he will.

Mike Deters got his 1,000th career training win on Tuesday night as Prairie Fortune won Pompano’s trotting feature. Among the winner’s circle celebrants were wife Shelley; son Michael J. and pet Lily.

Of his accomplishment, Deters said, “All in all, this has been a good day from start to finish. After all, we all are up sometimes before the sun comes up taking care of our family of horses so they are able to perform at their best.

“Today, I was up before the sun came up for an entirely different reason.

“That hard work sometimes pays off with a horse like Prairie Fortune and tonight he completed a day and night that will turn my fortunes around and beat what now is my toughest foe.”

Deters is no stranger to the winner’s circle, both as a driver and a trainer, but in recent years he has stuck primarily to training, handling mostly his youngsters.

“I like handling many of our 2- and 3-year-olds to give them the right education on the track and we have been fortunate to enjoy the fruits of our hard labor, especially over the past few years.”

These past few years have been Deters’ best with Florida bred horses serving the stable very well.

Prairie Jaguar, the Florida bred son of Spy Hard, owns the most 1:50 miles in Pompano Park history, an accomplishment of which Deters is so proud.

“It’s always exciting to have a 1:50 performer and Prairie Jaguar has given us so many exciting moments over the past few years. I think I remember every single step of his 1:49 mile here!”

Owosso Flash, Prairie Sweetheart, Prairie Panther and, of course, Prairie Fortune, all Florida breds now owned by Mike Deters along with Laurie Poulin, are just a few of the others that have propelled the Deters Stable to its lofty heights over the past few seasons.

Owosso Flash was a Super Night champion in 2014, Prairie Fortune and Prairie Sweetheart were Super Night champs in 2015 and Prairie Panther and Prairie Sweetheart were 2016 champs, although Deters was “simply the trainer” of Prairie Sweetheart as she was sold to the Let It Ride Stable shortly before she went to Lexington to take her mark of 1:49.1 at Red Mile.

While partner Laurie Poulin is “in awe” of Deters as a trainer, she also has plenty of respect and confidence when Mike is in the bike.

Over the past three seasons, Deters’ UDR numbers have been at a lofty .658 in 2014, an amazing .727 in 2015 and .378 this season.

Skip Smith photos

Prairie Fortune, with John MacDonald in the bike, took Pompano Park’s trotting feature on Tuesday night.

As for Prairie Fortune’s victory vaulting Deters to his milestone win, it was typical as he was fourth early on as Tater Twister (Kevin Wallis) took the field through panels of :27.2, :55.4 and 1:24.1 while Prairie Fortune began his normal grind forward on the backside, finally gnawing his way by once they straightened away in the lane.

About the win, driver John MacDonald said, “This was very special to be in the bike for Mike’s 1,000th training win. I think Prairie Fortune knew it was special, too, because he just kept grinding away until he got it done.”

Tater Twister did finish second while Explosive Muscles (Dave Ingraham) was third. Commentary was fourth in the mile while Sooo Handsome, sluggish early, was fifth in this quintet.

Off at 1-10, there were many bettors celebrating with Deters with a win mutuel of $2.20.

Deters was joined in the winner’s circle by his bride of many years, Shelley; son Michael J.; family pet Lyla and several others.

Deters concluded his remarks by saying he’d like to win another 1,000 races — “Make that 1,001 — and you know what I mean!”