by Steve Wolf, Senior Director of Marketing, Pompano Park
Pompano Beach, FL — Damon Runyon ($6.40) missed tying his own track record for older horses by a fifth of a second with a 1:54.3 triumph on Wednesday at Pompano Park in the ninth race $9,000 Open Handicap Trot. The featured race started off as it finished with driver Wally Hennessey sending Damon Runyon right to the front from the start. Ultimate Sundance (Bruce Ranger) left from post six and grabbed the two hole seat as Damon Runyon cut fractions of :28 to the quarter and :57.2 to the half-mile. It was then that race favorite, world champion Chucaro Ahijuna and driver Kevin Wallis, came first over in the backstretch, but the move was too late as Damon Runyon was strong past the three-quarters in 1:25.2. As they crossed the finish, Damon Runyon held off Ultimate Sundance by a half length. Muscle Boss Vita (Terry Morgan) took third over Chucaro Ahijuna. It was the first win in two 2005 starts for Damon Runyon, who co-owns the track mark of 1:54.2 that he set in 2003 with Trappers Salute A. An eight-year-old gelding by Cumin, Damon Runyon is trained by Lawrence Nichols and is owned by Carol Karter of Lake Worth. The photo finish camera had its work cut out Wednesday with four and three-horse photo finishes. In the seventh race $8,000 Open II Trot, Leave No Message ($43.20) a 20-1 longshot driven by David Ingraham, used perfect second-over cover from U Toe The Bike (Bruce Ranger), tipped four-wide on the final turn and beat out three rivals to win by a nose in a lifetime best 1:57.1. Lori Louise (Kevin Wallis) was second with Banker Ablaze (Anthony Napolitano) third and U Toe The Bike fourth in the photo by only a neck! It was the first win in three starts this year for Leave No Message, a six-year-old gelding by No Devil, owned and trained by Leon Cable of Warren, Michigan. Country Tim, a 24-1 longshot, tipped four-wide on the final turn and just nipped pacesetter Whenyouaresmiling (Bruce Ranger) by a nose and Igotmytanindaytona (Steve Oliwa) by a head to win the fifth race trot at Pompano Park on Wednesday, paying $51.60 to win. Driven by Kevin Wallis for trainer Gordon Norris, it was the second straight win in 2005 for Country Tim, who is owned by Alfred Brotter of Pompano Beach. Kevin Wallis led all drivers for the night with four victories.