Dee’s Rocketman rockets by late at Pompano
May 21, 2018,by John Berry, for Pompano Park
Pompano Beach, FL — Dee’s Rocketman, catch-driven by Ed Hysell, came from dead last to take top honors in Pompano Park’s featured Open Pace on Sunday night (May 20).
Skip Smith
Dee’s Rocketman, catch-driven by Ed Hysell, came from last early on to take the top prize in Pompano Park’s Sunday night feature.
The 6-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven, last in his classy quintet once the wings opened and things settled down, collared stablemate Sing For Me George, driven by Mickey McNichol, to stop the timer in 1:52.4 over a track labeled fast but dulled at bit by persistent heavy rains earlier in the day.
The official margin was a neck on the wire, with Kotare Yael N (Corey Braden) third, 1-1/4 lengths away after cutting panels of :27.3, :57 and 1:24.
Fritzie Pic Up Man, in the garden spot for much of the way, finished fourth while Major Starlight picked up the nickel.
At the outset, Kotare Yael N, burst off the wings from post 4, followed by Fritzie Pic Up Man, who used the rail in settling right behind the leader with Sing For Me George next.
Things began to heat up on the backside, as Sing For Me George left his cozy spot in third to go into attack mode, setting up the second-over journey for stablemate Dee’s Rocketman.
Brushing an individual third panel a shade better than :26.4, Sing For Me George moved alongside the leader turning for home and poked his head in front shortly thereafter, only to be nailed by his stablemate Dee’s Rocketman just yards from the wire.
In a post-race interview, Hysell said, “Let me tell you, it’s a pleasure to drive a horse like Dee’s Rocketman. Once we had the live cover, he just knew what he had to do. I didn’t ask him for anything; he did it all on this own. He must have paced his last half around :55 to get it done. He’s got some motor in him.”
McNichol, who trains both Sing For Me George and the winner Dee’s Rocketman, reflected, “I thought I better get moving once we were on the backside, so I sent my horse (Sing For Me George). I knew we were in a tough spot going first-up, but I had no other choice since Wally (Hennessey)’s horse (Fritzie Pic Up Man) wasn’t about to leave his nice spot. That helped Dee’s Rocketman, I’m sure, because he had some live cover to follow. My horse had some fight in him tonight, but just got nailed at the wire. I guess you could say that I did the dirty work and he (Hysell) picked up the pieces!”
Owned by Joseph Martinelli Sr., Dee’s Rocketman won for the eight time this semester to push his 2018 earnings over the $60,000 plateau — $60,800 to be precise.
Off at 3-5 on the tote board, Dee’s Rocketman paid $3.40 to his many faithful.
That event capped an auspicious night for McNichol, as two of his trainees — Rockntouch and Blueberry Heaven — were one-two in the opener, and McNichol himself piloted Team Captain to victory to complete the sweep of the early daily double.
Rockntouch, also a 6-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven, got a picture-perfect journey from McNichol to score over his late-charging stablemate Blueberry Heaven in 1:54, sending his seasonal earnings to $20,649 for The Fred Monteleone Stable and Salvatore Promuto. He has banked $191,288 lifetime.
As second choice in the betting, Rockntouch paid $4.60 to win.
Team Captain, a 6-year-old son of Cam’s Card Shark, scored in 1:55.2, using a :28.3 closing kick to hold off F Twenty Two by a neck. Joseph Martinelli Sr. owns the winner, who scored his fifth win of the year to send his 2018 bounty to $29,114 and $182,325 career-wise.
Team Captain paid $2.60 to his multitude of backers, completing the $9.40 early double.
Racing continues Wednesday night with post time set at 7:20 p.m. for the 10-race program. The Super Hi-5 finale now has a carryover of $14,180.