— by Steven Wolf, senior director of marketing and communications, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, Florida – May 19, 2004 – Flight Of Glory ($3.00) had little trouble winning his 2004 seasonal debut at Pompano Park Harness Track Wednesday, scoring a six and three-quarter length romp in the first race pace in 1:56.4.

The three-year-old Florida-bred gelding by Raging Glory was trained and driven to victory by Mike Deters for owner Robert Powell of South Daytona, FL. Royal Spy (Mickey McNichol) was second and Birthday Present (Thomas Wantz) third.

Deters and Flight Of Glory left from the rail and parked out Birthday Present to the opening quarter mile, held the field at bay throughout the rest of the one mile pace and then pulled away from the field in the stretch.

Tarport Mark ($3.00) and driver Dein Spriggs tied Regal Visitor as the winningest horse this meet at Pompano Park, scoring his seventh victory of the season in the 5th race trot, a division of the Florida Amateur Driving Club.

The race started off with Don’t Tell Dana and driver Bill Bigler shooting out to the early lead with Tarport mark right on their backs to the opening quarter mile. Odee Tycony (Srdan Saric) came first-over but could not catch up to Don’t Tell Dana. But in the backstretch, as Odee Tycony began to fade, Misty Blaze (Laurie Poulin) went three-wide and that flushed Tarport Mark and Spriggs, who took the lead away from Don’t Tell Dana by the three-quarter mile mark.

Spriggs then let Tarport Mark ramble on and they won with ease by two and one-quarter lengths over Y Did The Rooster (Michelle Brainard) and Misty Blaze.

One of the oldest active racehorses in the sport at age 15, Tarport Mark was bred by the late Delvin Miller and Hugh Grant, Jr. of PA and NY. The gelded son of Arndon is owned by Spriggs wife, Joyce, of Jupiter, FL and is trained by Luanna Beeson.