by Frank Salive, publicity director, Isle Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — The opening race of the 2011 and 30th season of the Billings Series produced a special memory for reinsman Dein Spriggs of Jupiter, Fla.

“My dad Bill was a long time horseman and he just passed away on February 5 but I know he was in the bike with me out there tonight,” Spriggs said while accepting a special blanket honoring the memory of his father. “A lot of people are still coming up to me with stories and anecdotes about my dad. Some of them mention one of his best horses, Mr.Chief Forbes, and that was almost 50 years ago.”

Lap Time Photo — Skip Smith

Court Cost was a 2:00.1 winner for Dein Spriggs.

Spriggs was in the bike as veteran trotter Court Cost, owned and trained by Bette Calice, carried him to victory in 2:00.1 over Karpathos, driven by Jamie Marra, and Earlivic, teamed by Stephen Oldford. It was the 349th lifetime driving win for Spriggs who is also a regular competitor in the weekly Florida Amateur Driving Club events. A stipulation for competitors in both organizations is that they donate what would have been their 5 percent driving commissions to charitable causes.

A second Billings Series event was staged on Saturday night in South Florida, with Tony Verruso, the series’ president, scoring a front end victory with claiming pace mare Allee T in 1:57.4. The veteran mare is trained by Geoff Howles of Pompano Beach, Fla., and he shares ownership with Mary Gilbert.

“The series usually involves trotters but when we compete at distant tracks like tonight we’re happy to get a second race in, even if it involves pacers,” Verruso said. “That said, I’m not accustomed to being down at the half in :56.4. (Trainer) Geoff Howles told me this mare has great gate speed and then to just judge from there whether I should let anyone go. I was really happy she dug in to win for as much as I had to go to the half.”

In this event SOS Rivertrail was second, giving Jamie Marra his second runner-up finish on the night. Rodaeo Raider, in rein to Joe Pennacchio, was third.

“Our next event in the Billings is scheduled for the Meadowlands on Mother’s Day and we hope the wives and girlfriends forgive us for that, but we’ve made arrangements for them to be treated to a great meal and great time for it,” Verruso added.

Top mare races against the boys

A race of special interest on the Saturday night card in South Florida saw 6-year-old mare I’m Just Special pitted against a field of male rivals in a $10,000 winners over contest.

The career winner of more than $616,000 made a quarter pole move to the front and was sent to middle panels of :55.3 and 1:23.4 by driver Mike Micallef. In the stretch, I’m Just Special could not hold off the onslaught of Jerry’s Brown Gold (Tom Sells), Card Dealer (Dan Clements) and DM Sundance (Dan Daley) as she had to settle for a fourth place finish.

Jerry’s Brown Gold, a son of Art Major-Ideal Dex, earned a life’s mark of 1:52.1 for the Fred Monteleone Stable of Pompano Beach. Stewart Nemiro trains the fast improving 4-year-old from the Bruce Ranger Stable.

In the $14,000 winners over handicap feature, Daley Deposit Only fired up with a big first over tally in 1:52.2 for trainer/driver Dan Daley. The 6-year-old Artiscape-Sassy Cessiann gelding held off Dragon’s Blood (Mike Micallef) and Sports Fanatic (Dan Clements) for his sixth win in 15 trips this year.

Pompano’s schedule of four programs per week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings continues through May. Tuesday programs will be dropped in June and Monday programs dropped in July for the final month of the current meet. Post time is 7:05 p.m. with free race night streaming and replays available in the ‘racing’ tab at www.theislepompanopark.com.