by Michael Costanzo, public relations coordinator, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — The veteran gelding Concetti scored his first win of the year when staying clear of trouble and trotting to a front-end victory in the $6,000 featured trot from Pompano Park on Wednesday (May 16) in 1:56.4.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Concetti trots to his first victory of the year when taking the $6,000 featured trot.

Driven from post three by Daryl Bier, Concetti took control of the Wednesday feature entering the first turn, cutting out fractions of :27.4, :57.4, and 1:26.3, before covering the final quarter-mile in :30.1 to prevail by eight lengths at the wire.

The race was marred by a mishap on the backstretch involving race favorite Down Swing (Kevin Wallis) and Rt Um Jim (Andy Santeramo), who made contact and went down while unseating their drivers. A chain reaction caused five horses in the race to break stride in order to avoid their fallen rivals, although each of those trotters recovered their gait and finished the race.

Both of the horses involved in the accident appeared to walk away unscathed, as did Wallis and Santeramo.

Concetti returned $9.60, $7.40, $6.20 for the victory. Son O’Light (Bruce Ranger) paid $6.60, $9.80 for second, while Mighty Maori A (Daniel Clements) brought in $4.00 for third.

Owned by Dein Spriggs of Jupiter, Fla., and trained by Allen Saul, Concetti is a 10-year-old son of Crown’s Best, out of the Native Starlight mare Cordova.