by Frank Salive, for The Isle Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — By completing their sweep of the four major Fall stakes of the Florida Standardbred Breeders And Owners Association at The Isle Pompano Park, the connections of fillies Black Diamond Girl and Pocohontas Fame shared in the $100,000 bonus offered for undefeated rookie performers. It was a dramatic night with the eight Breeders Stakes finals of the FSBOA contested for purses over $330,000. Here is a summary of the reaction from the winning connections from one of the biggest annual nights in South Florida harness racing.

2-Year-Old Filly Trot – Purse $36,526
Pocohontas Fame blasted to the front from the outside post nine and just after posting three quarters in 1:30 she had everyone gasping as she made a break in stride at the top of the stretch. Moments later, after pocket-sitter Jeanie Marie with Warren Harp inherited a big stretch lead, Pocohontas Fame recollected her stride to make an astonishing comeback for the win in 2:01.1. “(Driver) Wally Hennessey said she just tried to pull herself up at the top of the stretch” trainer Bob Roberts said of the Famously-Native Pine miss racing for Amante Standardbreds of Delray Beach, FL. “This was her 13th start of the year and it’s been a long haul this Fall for her. That was just incredible the way she came back on to win.”

2-Year-Old Filly Pace – Purse $37,049
Black Diamond Girl took command of the lead in the early strides and posted fractions of 28.1. 58, and 1:27.1 and caught some good luck when favorite Isle Of View Too made a break in stride when starting to move first-over after the quarter. Black Diamond Girl was under late stretch urging to hold off stablemate Diamond Chip in 1:57.3. “Geez I had both of the favorites in the running for the $100,000 bonus and I almost messed them up” driver Wally Hennessey joked after the race. “I had to get after her down the stretch to get up to the wire and she dug in like the great filly she is” he added. Trainer Kim Sears added, “she’s been a real treat ever since we first put on a harness on her. The track was tiring from the rain earlier today and she still found a way to overcome it.” Ownership of Black Diamond Girl is shared by Kim and Jay Sears with her breeders, Penny and William Kelley of Fellsmere, FL.
Pocohontas Fame and Black Diamond Girl thus share the $100,000 bonus offered by the FSBOA for 2-year-olds able to sweep the four major Fall stakes.

2-Year-Old Colt Trot – Purse $44,813
Im Possible, with trainer Mel Turcotte in the bike, pulled first over at the 1:03 half against the leader Promising Venture with Wally Hennessey. The pair dueled through three quarters in 1:32.3 and Im Possible finally wore down Promising Venture in the closing strides to win in 2:03.1. “I give all the credit to Mel Turcotte for this colt peaking the way he did at the end of the season” said owner Fred Morosini of Deerfield Beach. “This win was really dramatic the way he kept coming at the finish after looking like he was defeated in mid-stretch. Mel got him past the foot problems that plagued him throughout the year” he said of his Anythings Possible-R Nonie colt. Im Possible concluded his rookie season with three wins in eight starts for earnings of over $51,000.
2-Year-Old Colt Pace – Purse $40,001
Stiletto Jake was arguably the evening’s most impressive winner. Tom Sells had the Spy Hard-Ember’s Glory colt in command from the outset and after three quarters in 1:26.4 he drove away from the field with an awesome final quarter of 27.2 to score in a life’s mark of 1:54.1. “I’ve liked him from the word go when we started with him late last Summer” Sells commented in the winner’s circle live post-race TV interview. “He’s got a great gait, heart and great manners. (Trainer) Robert Connor Jr. has a history with this family and this colt couldn’t have been any better.” Diamond Howard with Bruce Ranger finished second with Hurricane Howard and Kevin Wallis holding third. Ownership of Stiletto Jake is held by Marah Lee and Robert Barker of Ft. Lauderdale and he wrapped up his rookie season with eight wins in eleven starts with over $55,000 earned.

3-Year-Old Filly Pace – Purse $42,213
Bling, the dominant performer in the division had drawn outside in the field of six and driver Bruce Ranger sent the daughter of Scoot Outa Reach-C The Glory right down the road in 1:53.3. It was her seventh win in ten starts this year as she was under late stretch urging to hold off her main nemesis of the past two seasons, Goldstar Rosie with Matt Kakaley in tow. “We were fortunate to get the upper hand on Goldstar Rosie this year because she dominated us last year” said Bling’s trainer, Mark Friedman. “She’s been a real treat to have around and now she’s won half of her twenty lifetime starts. Bling will get a rest now but we’re optimistic about what she may be able to accomplish in 2010” he added.

3-Year-Old Filly Trot – Purse $45,051
Late season sensation BK’s Luv was sent off as the favorite and at exactly three-eighths completion she was tipped out first-over to attack on her season long rival, Pearl Of Capri. They raced together at the half of 1:00 and Tom Sells set down BK’s Luv for a :28 third quarter brush to the front, and by midway on the final turn she had an insurmountable lead before coasting home in 1:58 with lots of daylight to spare over Pearl Of Capri and Famous Angel. “I don’t think she turned in a bad race all year” said owner Fred Morosini when celebrating his second winning performer on Florida Super Night 2009. “A lot of people have commented that she was winless as a two year old but I was always a believer. (Trainer) Mike Deters and his groom Tracy O’Leary have done a fantastic job with her.” BK’s Luv, by Anythings Possible-Luv To Trot ends her 3-year-old campaign with eight wins in seventeen starts for season’s earnings topping $50,000.

3-Year-Old Colt Trot – Purse $43,951
Whosgoinwhosstayin was not counted out when he made a break in stride leaving the gate, as his been his custom for much of his career. Driver Mickey McNichol knew the Basil-Benn’s Margie gelding had the ability to recover and he did it again for a strong closing win in 1:59.1 over late stretch leader Belachek with Wally Hennessey. “He’s never liked the starting gate and he’s forced us to just live with that quirk he has” said co-owner and trainer Linda Kakaley. “Maybe he can outgrow that as a 4- year-old. We plan to race him up north next year and we’ll likely try him in a stake at the Meadowlands next spring” she said. After going undefeated in twelve starts as a 2-year-old, Whosgoinwhosstayin compiled eight wins in fifteen starts in his three year old season. Kakaley shares ownership with Sophia Valkanoff, also of Pompano Beach.

3-Year-Old Colt Pace – Purse $47,776
The Florida Super Night’s richest purse event saw Storming Howard with driver Bruce Ranger placed up to first after originally finishing second to Time To Scoot in 1:54 after a stretch long duel. Time To Scoot was placed back to third because of an interference violation in the second quarter by his entrymate, Scoot Diablo, against the eventual third place finisher Tough Chip with Mickey McNichol. The placing up to first allowed Storming Howard to finish his three year old campaign with seven wins in eight starts and life’s earnings of over $111,000 for the Michile and Rod Lorenzo Stable, along with co-owners W.D. Hancock Jr., Ciro Gentile and Pomtambo Stable. Tough Chip was placed from third to second and Time To Scoot was placed from first to third because of the rules violation call against his entrymate.