by Frank Salive, publicity director, Isle Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — There were going to be broad smiles anyway after the win by Dragon’s Blood following the Saturday night feature on April 9 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, but the occasion was made even sweeter for the pacer’s connections by the events of the week leading up to the race.

Skip Smith/Lap Time Photo

Dragon’s Blood was a wire-to-wire winner in Saturday’s featured event at Pompano.

“Last Wednesday, my trainer and driver Mike Micallef and his wife welcomed the arrival of a baby girl into their family and they’ve named her Miley Kay,” owner Lew Whitaker of Boynton Beach, FL said in a live trackside TV interview after the race. “As soon as I got that news, I got a call on Wednesday from Jean Brown up at Blue Chip Farms in New York that the mare I own had foaled. I’m considering giving my new filly the same name as Anita and Mike Micallef gave their daughter, but we have a while before we have to decide. To have Dragon’s Blood bounce back so well from last week’s sickness and win is the perfect ending to a great week for all of us,” he added.

In the $14,000 purse event, Dragon’s Blood stepped to the front comfortably to set the fractions of 28.2, 56.3, 1:24.1 and 1:52.1. With race favorite Daley Deposit mired in traffic, the 7-year-old Dragon Again-Canaco Model gelding comfortably held off 29-1 longshot Avantage in rein to Tom Sells and Anescape N partnered by Bruce Ranger. Whitaker shares ownership of the 31 time career of over $284,000 with Anita Micallef.

Argentina Pacer Wins USA Debut at Pompano

A new recruit to the Erv Miller Stable had a promising pari-mutuel debut on American soil on Saturday night in South Florida.
Albionking Espolon, a 5-year-old Mumbo King-Damir Pats Espata pacer bred by Haras Albion of Argentina, was sent first-over for the final three-quarters of the mile to handily defeat the NW2 competition and earn a one mile race record of 1:55.1. Lewayne Miller was in the bike for owner Martinez Equine of Wellsville, PA.

Tribute to Pierre Fortin

A moment of silence was observed during the Saturday night card at Pompano for groom Pierre Fortin who passed away earlier in the week.

“He was a great horseman for over half a century and so unselfish, he took better care of the horses than he did of himself,” said trainer Gaston Glaude. “He never had a bad word for anyone and he was so well liked on the Pompano backstretch. This is a very sad loss for everyone that knew and liked him,” Glaude added.

Fortin hailed from Laval, Quebec and was 65 years old at the time of his passing.

Scheduling Note

There’s one more week of live racing before a dark week from April 17-24 at Pompano. Post time is 7:05 p.m. Eastern at the Winter Capital Of Harness Racing every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tuesday programs are dropped in June and Monday programs dropped in July for the final month of the current meet. On Monday, April 11, post time is 7:05 p.m. for the 11 race card with free live streaming and replays available in the ‘racing’ tab at www.theislepompanopark.com.