by Michael Costanzo, public relations coordinator, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Conditioner Mike Deters and driver Bruce Ranger teamed up to sweep the Sunshine State Stakes finals for juvenile trotters at Pompano Park on Wednesday (October 3) as the filly Discreet Encounter and the gelding Southern Rain each triumphed in their respective $14,000 division.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Discreet Encounter (Bruce Ranger) prevailed in the $14,000 Sunshine State Stakes final for 2-year-old filly trotters in 2:02.

Owned by Deters and James Armstrong, Discreet Encounter settled briefly in fourth place through the opening stages of the Sunshine State Stakes final for 2-year-old trotting fillies as the race favorite Indigo Swirl (Mickey McNichol) covered the opening quarter in :30.1.

As the juvenile fillies passed the grandstand for the first time, Ranger angled Discreet Encounter off the pylons to attack the leader, and with one aggressive move captured the top spot, cutting out middle fractions of 1:02.1 and 1:32.

Discreet Encounter entered the stretch with a 1-1/2 length advantage, and was never truly threatened down the lane while extending that margin to 1-3/4 lengths at the wire, stopping the timer in 2:02. Indigo Swirl finished second while Famous Valentine (Wally Hennessey) crossed the wire third.

Discreet Encounter returned $14.80, $4.40 and $2.40 for the victory. Indigo Swirl brought in $3.40 and $2.10 for second, while Famous Valentine paid $2.20 for third.

One race earlier, Deters and Ranger visited the winner’s circle for the first time when Mark Rorabeck’s Southern Rain captured the Sunshine State Stakes final for juvenile colt and gelding trotters, tallying his seventh victory from nine career starts.

Starting from post one, Southern Rain settled in second place through the opening stages of the trot before inheriting the top spot from Ruby’s Jewell when that one made a break after an opening panel that went in :30.1.

The son of Wewering trotted comfortably on the lead through middle fractions that went in 1:01.2 and 1:32.2 before coasting home to a convincing six length triumph in 2:03. Cracker Jame (Kevin Wallis) and Famous Image (Walter Ross, Jr.) rounded out the top three.

Southern Rain paid $2.60, $2.60 and $2.10 for the victory. Cracker Jame returned $10.00 and $2.10 for second, while Famous Image brought in $2.20 for third.

With the victories by Discreet Encounter and Southern Rain, no 2-year-old trotter remains eligible for a share of the $100,000 bonus offered by the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association that is to be split amongst any juvenile that prevails in each of the Florida Sires Stakes finals.

Trot Monster, Indigo Swirl and Famous Valentine each lost their eligibility for the aforementioned bonus when coming up short of victory on Wednesday.

ABC Farms Inc. and Jim Langley’s Bull Durham scored his second victory of the season when taking the $14,000 Sunshine State Stakes final for sophomore colt and gelding trotters, which was held as a non-wagering event prior to the 12-race pari-mutuel program.

The son of Wewering tracked Blake Island (Hennessey) from second place as that one cut out fractions of :30.1, 1:02.3 and 1:32.2.

As the trotters straightened out for the final drive, Bull Durham vacated the pocket to wear down the leader, taking control of the race in mid-stretch before finding the wire first in 2:01.1. Blake Island was second while Phone Is Ringing (Brad Hanners) finished third.