by Frank Salive, publicity director, Isle Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — The always fertile and frequently zany minds of Racebook Manager David Crupi and Trackside Host Gigi Diaz have joined forces again to bring comedic emphasis to the fact that Pompano’s racing schedule is dropping Tuesdays for the months of April and May.

In the 48 second skit, Crupi plays the role of ‘Tuesday’ and is the victim of being ‘dropped’ at the suggestion of Diaz. Support role actors in the ad are Pompano’s Assistant Race Secretary Steve Carpenito and announcer Frank Salive. Delivering the knockout punch to ‘Tuesday’ from the schedule is Pompano’s Associate Judge and simulcasting contact Aaron Feinberg.

The ad, which is currently running on the track’s live race night broadcasts, can also be viewed on www.youtube.com by entering ‘dropping Tuesdays’ in the search box.

High priced yearling trotters turning up

The first race of the Monday evening (April 2) program at Pompano featured three high priced yearlings making their first lifetime starts but none of them came up a winner in their 2012 and 3-year-old season’s debut in the maiden trot event.

Skip Smith photo

Sleigh Bells Ring, driven by Richie Simard, upset Occupy Wall Street in rein to Jan Johnson.

Cutting the mile was Occupy Wall Street in rein to Jan Johnson. The Muscles Yankee-My Girl Hall filly was a $35,000 yearling at Harrisburg in 2010, and she was caught at the wire by double digit longshot Sleigh Bells Ring in rein to Richie Simard.

The win time was 2:01 for the 4-year-old daughter of Famously-Celebrity Descent, trained by Mark Friedman for owner Victoria Friedman of Boca Raton, Fla.

Finishing fifth in the same event was Mississippi Beauty with Walter Ross, Jr. behind the 3-year-old filly for Willow Oak Ranch of Rogersville, Tenn.

The most anticipated starter in the race, The Aviator, went offstride in his lifetime racing debut and finished eighth. The Aviator is owned by SSG Stables of of North Boston, N.Y., and the 3-year-old Striking Sahbra-Ten Queens gelding was hammered down for $100,000 as hip number 371 in the 2010 Lexington Selected Sale.

The Isle Mile 1 Mares Handicap Pace was the top event on the Monday evening program for an $8,000 purse.

Princessofdarkness, in rein to Pompano’s hottest driver of the past two months, Dan Clements, dominated from the front end in 1:53.1 over Eyewitness Account with Wally Hennessey up and Miss Sparta driven by Gaston Lareau.

Jim Mattison trains the 5-year-old daughter of The Panderosa-Mattintosh for Leola and Gil Pochesci of Leominster, Mass., and co-owner Vicki Mattison of Pompano Beach. It was the first win of the 5-year-old campaign in three starts for Princessofdarkness, now a career winner of $149,395.