by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, Florida – John Campagnuolo’s Blake Island took top honors in the $20,500 Florida Sales Stake for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Wednesday night at Pompano Park. In doing so, the son of Wewering kept his hopes alive for the $100,000 bonus (or share of same) offered by Pompano Park and The Florida Standardbred Breeders Association for horses that sweep their respective divisions in Florida Stakes competition. (The pacers Lucy Lucy and Ace Mactavish also remain eligible for the prize.)

Driven by Wally Hennessey for trainer Kim Sears, Blake Island won his fifth in a row in near wire-to-wire fashion in 2:01.1, headed only briefly out of the gate by Timer (Dave Ingraham), who had a two-hole trip as the winner carved out panels of 30.3, 1:01.3 and 1:32.1 before sprinting home in :29 to seal the victory measuring two lengths. Bull Durham, handled by Tom Wantz, was third but almost 10 lengths back of the winner.

Blake Island, with five wins and three thirds in eight lifetime starts, now has earnings of $37,020.

In the $21,950 Florida Sales Stake for the two year-old trotting fillies, Desi’s Toy picked a perfect time to break her maiden and scored an upset victory — 15 to 1 — for Mike Deters in 2:04.4.

The daughter of Basil took full advantage of miscues by the 1-2 favorite, Wandering Dream, and the 2-1 second choice, Crown Candle, to score an easy win measuring three and a half lengths over Southern Beauty, handled by Jay Sears. Southern Breeze, the longest chance in the field at 30-1, cut the mile with fractions of 32.1, 1:03.3 and 1:34.3 and finished third for Mel Turcotte.

Desi’s Toy tasted victory for the first time in eight lifetime starts and sent her earnings from $4,303 to $15,278 for Deters, who is part-owner with Robert Powell.

Finally, in the $10,000 Open Handicap Trot, Table Wine, given a superb drive by Dave Ingraham, took top honors in 1:56.4, a seasonal best for the five-year-old son of Muscles Yankee.

With five of the six horses in the field vying for the early lead, Ingraham was insistent on, somehow, getting to the lead from his five post and did so shortly after U Toe The Bike put up an opening quarter in 28.2.

Once on top, Table Wine got to the half in 57.2 and three quarters in 1:27 with only a mild, brief threat developing from Railee Possible with three-eighths remaining.

Turning for home, Table Wine was clear by a length and a half and maintained that margin to the line over U Toe The Bike and Wally Hennessey. Railee Possible was third for Matt Kakaley.

Owned by Robin Merriman of Pompano Beach, Table Wine won for the fourth time in 21 starts this year, good for bounty of $24,742—more than half of that earned in just the past month.