by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park
Pompano Beach, FL — Blue Oxfords ($8.20) was placed from second to first in the third race $8,000 Open Pace on Saturday at Pompano Park, which gave the eight-year-old gelding his 15th win on the year for the Moen Stables of Lapeer, Michigan. The race winner, Hipeka A (George Napolitano, Jr.), finished first but was placed third for causing interference to third place finisher Dee Magic Man at the three-quarter mile mark. Blue Oxfords, a $618,000 career winner, covered the one mile race in 1:51.3 for driver Kevin Wallis and trainer Gale Moen. His time was just two-fifths of a second from his lifetime mark taken four years ago. Dee Magic Man, driven by Richard Macomber, Jr., was placed second in the race. The featured pace started off with Hipeka A going to the early lead with Dee Magic Man taking the pocket-trip to the opening quarter mile in :27.2. Josh The Prince (Joe Pavia, Jr.) then quarter moved to take command and led the field to the half-mile mark in :55.3. Macomber moved Dee Magic Man first-over and started to grind his way towards the front when right before the three-quarters, Napolitano moved out of the pocket seat causing the interference to Dee Magic Man. As they came down the stretch, Blue Oxfords and Wallis closed well to be second to Hipeka A by a half length with Dee Magic Man also in the photo finish. It was a night for speed as trackman Randy Dawson’s oval was razor sharp. In the ninth race Open III Pace, another Gale Moen-trained, Moen Stable-owned horse, Copeland Comet ($30.20), stopped the teletimer in less than 1:52. Driven by Kevin Wallis, Copeland Comet took the early lead away from Go Mike Go (Richard Macomber, Jr.) by the opening quarter in a speedy :26.4. Hi Cee Tee R (Bruce Ranger) then came charging to the front to take command before the half-mile in :55.4. Hi Cee Tee R then passed the teletimer at the three-quarters in 1:23 and looked to start drawing off as Vida Loca (George Napolitano, Jr.) came first-over, but down the stretch Hi Cee Tee R began to tire and drift to the outside as Wallis and Copeland Comet came up the rail to win by a half length in 1:51.3. It was the 12th win this year and the 1:51.3 clocking a lifetime mark for Copeland Comet, a seven-year-old stallion by Run The Table.