by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — For the second straight year, harness driver Dave Howard captured the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Pace at Pompano Park. He won the fifth race feature with the 3-5 favorite Hebe Gene N ($3.40, $2.20, $2.40) by one and one-half lengths in 1:58².

The race featured nine African-American drivers.

Howard, 47, who hails from Cream Ridge, New Jersey, has come down the past four years just to compete in the MLK race. Last year he won with Count ‘Em by three and one-quarter lengths in 1:56².

“Hebe Gene N’s trainer Tom Bigler told me the horse was in shape and to drive him any way I wanted to,” Howard said. “I just wanted to make sure we did not get in any road trouble and the horse was very good. Just being able to compete in a race named after Martin Luther King, Jr. is something special for me. To have now won it two years in a row is icing on the cake!”

Bermuda Scooter ($5.00, $4.80) was second for driver DeShawn Minor and finishing third was Bronze Star ($4.00) for driver Allan Johnson. The Aquarius Stable of Coconut Creek, Florida owns Hebe Gene N, a 12-year-old gelding by Butler BG who has now won three of his last four starts.

The MLK Pace started off with Mountainview Gold and driver Dewayne Minor shooting out to the early lead with Bronze Star grabbing the two-hole spot by the opening quarter mile in :28². After the half mile mark in :58², Howard made his move, going first over with Hebe Gene N and just cleared to the lead at the three-quarters in 1:27¹.

Howard held the field at bay down the stretch as Hebe Gene N coasted to the wire.

Also competing in the race were Milton Smith, Hank Hayward, Odell Thompson, Thomas Minor and Jamie Romeling. Making the trophy presentation was Pompano Beach Commissioner Pat Larkins.

The evening also featured a special tribute to the greatest African-American driver in the history of harness racing, Lew Williams, who was also a driving champion at Pompano Park in 1972. The 10th race $9,500 Open Handicap Mares Pace was named in his memory.

In a classic stretch duel between two brothers, George Napolitano, Jr. and Big Duchess, (the 1-5 favorite) nosed out younger brother Anthony Napolitano and 25-1 long shot Sweet Dreams in 1:54.

The Lew Williams Memorial started out with Big Duchess shooting out to the early lead with Sweet Dreams settling in from the rail for the two-hole trip by the opening quarter mile in :27³. They raced Indian-style to the half in :57² when Kevin Wallis made his move with S F Misty first over and they pressed Big Duchess to the three-quarters in 1:25⁴.

But as they came down the stretch, Big Duchess began to bear out and Anthony Napolitano urged Sweet Dreams on right to the wire only to come up a nose short of winning it all. S F Misty finished third.

Trained by George Napolitano, Jr., Big Duchess posted her first win of the year. Michael Cavallo of Washington Township, Pennsylvania owns the seven-year-old roan mare by Laag.