Washington, PA — Parked the opening quarter and pressured once he got the lead, Hawaiiancaviar still had little trouble fashioning a daylight lead and cruising home in Monday’s opening leg of the Sir Caviar Trot at The Meadows. Blokbuster Hanover and Hoorayforvacation also captured $15,000 divisions in the series for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters.

The series is named for Sir Caviar, the track record-holder for older gelding trotters.

Once he made the front for Brian Zendt, Hawaiiancaviar was challenged by Bob and Bobby, who continued to dog the leader for the next quarter-mile. But Hawaiiancaviar was up to the task, drawing off to down the pocket-sitting Man’s Treasure by 6-3/4 lengths in 1:58.2. Bob and Bobby gamely saved show.

Bill Zendt trains Hawaiiancaviar, an SJ’s Caviar-Hawaiian Rose gelding, for Shanamphilaniklou Inc.

— Evan Pattak

The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park
It’s that time of year when an increasing number of promising three year old trotters are hitting the track at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park to lay the foundation for their 2012 campaign. Two more prime examples were winners on the Monday, April 9 program at the South Florida venue. Copain Du Haras, a Broadway Hall-Shimette colt, stepped to a life’s mark of 1:58.1 with Dan Clements in the bike for the front-end romp over NW3 company. Jean Beaulieu does the training for Haras De L’Estrie of Dunham, Quebec. Copain Du Haras was hammered down for $50,000 at the 2010 Lexington Select Sale as hip 147. In this event, promising Ontario Sires Stakes filly Kylie Hall was delayed in traffic and brushed in for the runner-up spot with Doug Brown in tow over Puss In Boots and driver Dan Daley. Ontario snowbird horseman Wayne Henry uncovered a 3-year-old prospect from his operation in the first race of the Monday evening program in Mint Kiss, a well meant upset winner over Winky’s Volo in 2:00.4 in a NW1 trotting event. Mint Kiss, a 3-year-old filly by Cash Hall-Peppermint Kissed, started in 2011 in the New York Sires Stakes and was a $20,000 purchase by Shelley Henry of Arthur, ON from the 2010 Harrisburg Sale. She was able to edge past the Walter Ross Jr. driven Winky’s Volo (Conway Hall-Winky’s Trophy), a $70,000 yearling purchase from the Lexington Selected Sale of 2010 owned by Willow Oak Ranch of Rogersville, TN. The Isle Mile 1 Mares Open Handicap Pace highlighted the Monday evening program for an $8,000 purse with Eyewitness Account taking a pocket trip to victory in 1:54.2 for owner and driver Wally Hennessey of Coconut Creek, FL. Dan Hennessey trains the Camluck-Unchained Speed 5-year-old mare. Miss Sparta, in rein to Gaston Lareau, weaved through stretch traffic to finish a hard-closing second. Nillabomb, with the 32nd driving partner of her career in Doug Brown at the lines, did the front-end road work and persisted for third.

Monticello Raceway
If it’s beginning to sound redundant then so be it, but amateur driver Alan Schwartz is on a tear. After having a double and a hat trick just last week at Monticello Raceway, Schwartz opened this week with another driving double. Schwartz’s first victory of the Mighty M afternoon of April 9 was a catch-drive behind the Paula Macedonio-trained Doc’s Whiskey when he sent the pacer to the lead and went wire-to-wire winning, by a length in a time of 2:00.1 over Rhea Nourrir and driver Truman Gale. In his only other drive on the card, Schwartz sat the pocket with Pembroke Boogie and then scooted down the passing lane when it opened and rallied to a 2:00 victory by just a head over Early Morning and driver Mike Merton. Thus far this season at the Mighty M, Schwartz has driven 24 winners in just 78 starts, good for 10th place on the local leaderboard. And his .416 UDR is tops, some 45 points higher than runner-up Jimmy Marohn, Jr.’s .361.