by Steve Wolf, senior director of racing operations, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Battleshoe Victor ($44.80) was the longshot play of the night at Pompano Park on Wednesday (May 21) as the chestnut gelding, at odds of 21-1, upset the field in the $12,000 featured trot with a nose victory over race favorite Gale Warning in 1:55.3.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Battleshoe Victor and driver Tom Sells nip Gale Warning at the wire in 1:55.3 in the $12,000 featured trot.

The race started off with Manacuda (Walter Ross, Jr.) shooting to the early lead from post five as Battleshoe Victor and driver Tom Sells also left from post seven and were able to get the two hole spot through the opening quarter in a speedy :27.

As they raced to the half-mile marker in :57.1, Guy Gets Girl (Bruce Ranger) started up first-over on the outside with Classical Man (Tom Haughton) following the outside flow. But once in the backstretch, Table Wine and driver Dan Clements pulled from third place and started moving on the outside to collar Manacuda.

They passed the three-quarter pole in 1:25.3 and Table Wine was able to clear to the lead as they reached the top of the stretch. It was then that Hennessey, who had tipped three-wide on the final turn with Gale Warning, picked up speed in the stretch, but following their cover was Battleshoe Victor, who just nipped Gale Warning at the wire for the upset victory. Table Wine was third.

It was the second win this year for Battleshoe Victor, a 6-year-old gelding by Valley Victory, who is trained by Tom Harmer and owned by Michael Polansky.

Swingin Glory ($13.40) closed out an impressive career of racing on Wednesday as the 14-year-old stallion made his final start a winning one, capturing the 10th race pace in 1:57 for driver Bruce Ranger. Trained by Ted Berry and owned by the ABC Farms, Swingin Glory was retired to stallion duty after the race.

A Florida-bred son of Raging Glory, from the Meadow Skipper mare Swingin, Swingin Glory started in 325 races during his career with 67 victories, 48 seconds and 39 third-place finishes. He also amassed $817,082 in career earnings with a lifetime record of 1:49.4.