by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Chucaro Ahijuna ($3.40), the Argentinean-bred double gaited world champion Standardbred, rewrote the track record for older horses at Pompano Park on Friday, winning his second round division of the $125,000 Mack Lobell Trotting Series with an impressive 1:55 mile.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Chucaro Ahijuna rewrote the track record for older trotters with a 1:55 victory for driver Kevin Wallis in a second round division of the Mack Lobell Trotting Series.

The eight-year-old stallion by Noble Speedster clipped one-fifth of a second from the track mark he had co-owned with Power Hall (2000) and Beepbeep Move Over (2004).

The seventh race $17,500 first division saw Ultimate Sundance (Bruce Ranger) move out to the early lead with Beepbeep Move Over (George Napolitano, Jr.) in second and Kevin Wallis and Chucaro Ahijuna coming on the outside.

Past the opening quarter-mile in :28.4, Wallis kept moving with Chucaro Ahijuna to take command and they then cut the fractions to the half-mile in :57, the three-quarters in 1:25.4 and then breezed home to win by two open lengths. Ultimate Sundance was second with Make It Hot (Steve Condren) third.

Owned by the Berry Stables of Staten Island, New York and trained by Paul Bernardo, it was the second straight win in the series for Chucaro Ahijuna, who now looms as the overwhelming favorite to win the $80,000 Mack Lobell Final next Saturday.

“This horse will give you all his has,” Paul Bernardo said. “Tonight Kevin just floated him out there kinda easy and once he gets to the front he is tough to beat. No one really could come at him. If another horse looks him in the eye, he wants to go on more.

“I hope he will do just as well in the final next week. I am sure it will be a different race than tonight.”

In the ninth race second division of the Mack Lobell, it was Damon Runyon and driver Wally Hennessey once again, making two moves in the mile and winning by a half length in 1:56.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Damon Runyon holds off Double Eagle to win a division of the Mack Lobell Trotting Series for driver Wally Hennessey.

Hennessey left with Damon Runyon from post six to take the early lead with Bubba Dunn in the pocket to the opening quarter-mile in :28.1. Then Double Eagle (Trevor Ritchie) challenged and took command before the half-mile pole in :57.1. But Hennessey then came right back with Damon Runyon and got to the front as Hellava Hush (Steve Condren) was first over and gaining ground as they reached the three-quarters in 1:26.2. Dunkster (Kevin Wallis) tipped three wide on the final turn with Bubba Dunn four wide.

As they came down the stretch, Hennessey and Damon Runyon held strong despite a late charge from Double Eagle with Guy Gets Girl (Bruce Ranger) closing to be third.

It was the second straight win and fourth victory in six starts this year for Damon Runyon, an eight-year-old gelding by Cumin, owned by Carol Karter of Lake Worth, Florida and trained by Lawrence Nichols.

“I used him twice tonight and he responded perfectly,” Hennessey said of Damon Runyon. “He went as fast and hard as he had to and still has some left at the finish. It will be a real battle next week in the final. I think the post position draw will tell a lot of how the race will go and I hope we draw inside.”

The top nine money earners in the series will be back for the $80,000 final next Saturday.

Hennessey finished the night leading all drivers with a Grand Slam, driving four winners on the program.

Saturday night is the second round of the $250,000 Isle of Capri Pacing Series with three $25,000 divisions. Featured will be the three return winners from last week.

The fifth race first division has both Maltese Artist (1:51.1) and Fox Valley Devious (1:52.3) facing each other for the first time.

Then in the seventh race second division, The Globe (1:51.3), off his big win, takes on last year’s Isle Pace winner, Luckyisasluckydoes.

In the ninth race third division, top contenders Daylon Trooper, Santastic’s Pan and He Wants It All will go head to head to earn a spot in next Saturday’s $160,000 final.

Also at Pompano Park on Saturday is a free concert featuring the Triple Shot Blues Band, followed by Chris MacDonald’s Memories of Elvis show. There will also be an antique car display by the South Florida Road Knights.