by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Bring It Strong ($24.20) led a night of long shots at Pompano Park on Friday, winning the 10th race $8,000 Open Handicap Trot with a two and one-quarter length triumph in 1:58.

Driven by John Kakaley, Bring It Strong was the first on the lead in the featured race, but gave up command before the opening quarter mile to a persistent Golden Lane (March Aubin). Midgie was trying on the outside to get to the front before breaking stride before the quarter for the second straight week.

Once on top, Golden Lane stayed the pace-setting through fractions of :57² and 1:27³ with Muscle Boss Vita (Veral Bowman) coming first-over in the backstretch and Chili Vanili (Mickey McNichol) grabbing second-over cover.

On the final turn, Silver Challenge swept four-wide and nearly caught the field at the top of the stretch, but it was Kakaley and Bring It Strong who found clearance in mid-stretch and pulled away at the wire. Miss Biggie Smalls (Claude Richards) was second with Golden Lane third.

It was the third win this year for Bring It Strong, an eight-year-old gelding by Royal Strength who is trained by Linda Kakaley and owned by Chris Valkanoff of Okemos, Michigan.

Tiger Talk ($94.60, $50.00, $11.80) was the big upset winner Friday at odds of 46-1 in the second race pace. The four-year-old mare by Izatiger, owned and trained by Don Brainard of Coconut Creek, swept three-wide on the final turn and won by a nose for driver Walter Ross, Jr. over 16-1 Luvs Man Teaser ($23.00, $6.80) and 15-1 Eileen Filly ($6.20). The 7-5 exacta paid $1,304.20 and the 7-5-6 trifecta combination paid $3,231.20.

Other long shots that came in included Varnell ($66.00) in the sixth race trot (who keyed a $7,585.60 trifecta payoff), Up Front Speed ($35.20) in the fourth race pace and Sweet Meredith ($22.00) in the fifth race pace. Only five of the 13 races had payoffs of less than $10.00 and just two favorites won on the card.

Driver Terry Morgan had a banner night with four winners and George Harp, Jr. led all trainers with three winners from his stable.

15-year-old Tarport Mark, one of the oldest active racehorses in the sport, scored his eighth win of the year in the third race trot, a division of the Florida Amateur Driving Club. Tarport Mark led from start to finish for driver Dein Spriggs, winning by one length in 2:01³. He is now the winningest horse this year at Pompano Park. Benjoy (Troy Basista) was second with Reaching For Glory (Alan Benjamin) third. Trained by LuAnna Beeson, Tarport Mark is owned by Spriggs’ wife, Joyce, of Jupiter.

Hearty Fellow goes for fourth straight on Saturday

Hearty Fellow, currently the top pacer on the grounds at Pompano Park for the summer meet, goes for his fourth straight win Saturday in the 10th race Open Handicap Pace.

The four-year-old Florida-bred gelding by Hearty Welcome has been unstoppable for trainer/driver Marc Aubin and owners Anthony Amante and Christine Garrity of Delray Beach with seven wins, six of them coming in his last eight starts.

His main rival Saturday will be Virtuocity from post five for driver Mickey McNichol. Last week Virtuocity scored the fastest mile of the night with a 1:52² triumph, his third win of the year. The last time the two horses met, Hearty Fellow was the victor in 1:53².

Every Saturday during the summer season from June through September it will be $1.00 Night at Pompano Park with draft beer, Pepsi sodas, hot dogs, popcorn and large pretzels just $1.00 each at all concession stands on the second, third and fourth floors.