by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Andover America sent his lifetime earnings to $775,890 on the strength of his 55th lifetime victory on Wednesday night (Oct. 15) at Pompano Park while Brandy, Gold Star Dynasty, Markie and Limelight were crowned the champions in their respective finals of the FSBOA Sunshine State Stakes.

Andover America, the 9-year-old son of Andover Hall, driven by Bruce Ranger, took the $10,000 Open Trot and led every step of his mile, stopping the timer in 1:57 after an opening half-mile in :59.

Pompano Park photo

Andover America, driven by Bruce Ranger, sent his lifetime earnings to $775,890 with his 55th career victory.

Trained by Stewart Nemiro for Mc Trade Enterprises, Andover America pinned a defeat measuring three-parts of a length on another veteran warrior, Gale Warning, handled by Mike Micallef. Glittering Muscles and Bryce Fenn teamed up for show honors while Whispur and Tug River Dylan picked up the final two awards in the sextet.

In a post race interview, driver Bruce Ranger said, “When Adenium went up in the air leaving, I thought it best to try and put my horse on the lead to stay out of trouble and control the pace — if possible. When I was able to rate him to that :59 half, I really felt comfortable that a horse of his caliber could take it the rest of the way. He was sprinting pretty strongly the rest of the way and he proved he can still go a final quarter in :28 and change when the conditions are as they were tonight.”

The win was Andover America’s fifth of the year in a relatively light campaign encompassing just 14 starts. He’s banked $35,650 this year.

In the first of four $12,000 finals of the FSBOA Sunshine State Stakes — the first two of which were non-betting affairs — Brandy, driven by Dan Clements, scored a win in the 2-year-old filly trot with a gate-to-wire win in 2:04.4-:29.4, holding Livy M, handled by Tom Sells, safe by a length after a stretch long duel. Zendaya, driven by Bob Roberts, finished third with Diamond White fourth in the quartet.

Owned by Jay Sears along with trainer Kim Sears, Brandy now sports a 2-2-0 scorecard in four starts and $9,896 in earnings. This division is turning out to be quite a rivalry as Livy M also sports a 2-2-0 record in her four starts with each pinning two defeats on the other.

The second non-betting event — this for juvenile pacing fillies — went to Gold Star Dynasty, in tow for Walter Ross, Jr. This daughter of Six Of Diamonds, owned and trained by Tom Audley, used a tenacious :27.3 finale to collar pace-setting Paxxie and Bruce Ranger in the final stride, the official margin a head. Davita and Bob Roberts rallied to be third with Arties Diamond Girl fourth and Prairie Princess picking up the nickel. The mile was clocked in 1:59.3 — a new lifetime mark — and pushed the filly’s earnings to $9,262 in just four starts.

The first of two Sunshine State Stakes on the card went to Jay Sears’ Markie — but not before some heart throbs thrown in with her hoof beats. The sophomore trotting daughter of Proud Bushy, handled by Bob Roberts for trainer Kim Sears, went up in the air at the start as the 1-20 favorite and spotted the field nearly 20 lengths, but once settled down, she circled her field to take the lead into turn two and went on to score a 3-3/4 length win over Trotting JC Poss, driven by Tom Sells, in 2:02.1.

After the race, trainer Kim Sears said, “What can I tell you…she’s a brat! She’s fast, yes, but she’s got a mind of her own. My heart is still beating a thousand beats a minute after that!”

Markie, last year’s 2-year-old champion in her class, remains undefeated in four starts this year. She’s banked $69,050 lifetime — $11,350 this year with the big Florida stakes season ahead.

Finally, in the 3-year-old final for pacing fillies, Limelight, handled by Tom Sells for trainer Rosie Huff, overcame the nine post and her eight opponents to score a one length victory in 1:55.4. Taking the lead three-eighths into the mile, Limelight cut panels of :57 and 1:26.3, scoring her tenacious victory over Marion (Mike Micallef), J D Eleven Bells (Aaron Byron) and the late charging Voluminous.

The victory was worth $6,000 to the Beauty in the Bridle Racing Stable, sending her bounty to $26,895 this year, and $2.40 to those who risked $2 on the Cracking Light filly’s nose.

Racing continues on Saturday night with additional Sunshine State Stakes finals. Post time is 7:30 p.m.