by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Bluehourpower, the Indiana invader making his Pompano Park debut off of a short respite from the racing wars, upset the applecart in Pompano Park’s $11,000 Open Handicap Pace on Sunday night (Dec. 6), stopping the clock in a lifetime best 1:50.2.

Jason Dillander was in the bike for the win — the 18th of the 4-year-old’s career, but the first away from the friendly confines of the seven-eighths-mile oval at Hoosier Park.

Skip Smith photo

Bluehourpower, driven by Jason Dillander, went over the $500,000 mark in career earnings with an upset victory in Pompano Park’s top pace on Sunday night.

The altered son of Sand Shooter, trained by Jamie Macomber for owner Wilbur Eash, upset a very talented field including the highly vaunted Arthur Blue Chip, Bandolito, Alexa’s Jackpot and five others to vault over the $500,000 in career earnings — $502,756 to be precise. Dont Tell Rusty, teamed up with Ed Hensley, was second, a head back in the photo finish, while Alexa’s Jackpot finished third for Steve Condren. KR’s Power Surge finished fourth and Bandolito picked up the nickel in the field of nine.

At the outset, the even-money toteboard favorite Arthur Blue Chip made a miscue to lose all chance while Alexa’s Jackpot showed his usual early alacrity from post seven to take command after an early tussle with Dont Tell Rusty, leaving from post six. Bluehourpower was away in good order third while KR’s Power Surge was next in front of Bandolito, who “half left” from the outside nine post and found a spot mid-pack.

With positions set in stone through opening panels of :26.3 and :54.4, the action began to heat up on the backside with Bluehourpower going first up and Bandolito trying to catch that one’s live cover. At the third station in 1:22.4, Bluehourpower was breathing down the neck of Alexa’s Jackpot, edging to the fore once they straightened away and then holding off the late surge of Dont Tell Rusty in the picture.

After the event, driver Jason Dillander said, “I knew this horse could take a lot of air because I drove him a couple of times as a 2-year-old and I have seen him enough times in Indiana to know that he can grind a long way. The only question that I had coming into this race was whether he was tight enough after a couple of weeks off. I should have known that he’d be good because Jamie (Macomber) is a fantastic trainer. He went a great mile.”

As fourth choice in the win pool, Bluehourpower paid $17.20 to his faithful.

Pompano Park’s Pick-4 paid off handsomely on Sunday night as Here Comes William ($9.80), Ardie B Speed ($44.80), Johnny Grippa ($9.60) and Thebestofjoel ($19.40) captured the individual legs with the $1 combination of 1-5-1-6 returning $9,328.50.

Racing continues on Monday with an 11-race program and again on Tuesday with 13 races on tap. Post time is 7:30 p.m.