by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — The Isle Casino Racing at Pompano Park presented a sterling racing program on Saturday night (Dec. 20) highlighted by a repeat win by Lyons Johnny in the $12,000 Open Handicap Pace and a winning return to action by driver Jason Dillander.

Lyons Johnny kicked off the festivities with a splendid win in 1:50.1 for Ed Hensley, pinning a defeat measuring just short of three lengths on his stablemate E Z Noah, driven by Aaron Byron. Don’t Tell Rusty, with Kevin Wallis handling the lines, was third while Cadillac Phil finished fourth. The final award in the sextet went to I Do Hanover.

Skip Smith photo

Lyons Johnny, driven by Ed Hensley, scored a repeat win in Pompano Park’s Open Pace on Saturday night.

Trained by Pete “Sonny” Pellegrino for the Baron Racing Stable, Lyons Johnny was sent right to the top from his post five but got in an early war with E Z Noah, with the latter taking over just short of the scorching opening quarter in :26.

The two stablemates remained one-two through subsequent panels of :54.4 and 1:22.3 with Lyons Johnny out of his cozy pocket turning for home and using a very sharp :27.2 finale to seal the deal.

In a post race interview, driver Ed Hensley said, “Yes, we were burning some rubber in that opening quarter but this turned out to be pretty much an identical trip that I had last week. Only difference was that E Z Noah cut it this time instead of Prairie Jaguar, right behind me this time. He’s so handy and responded immediately when I asked. Pete (trainer Pellegrino) has him razor sharp right now.”

The victory was number seven on the year for Lyons Johnny, a 6-year-old son of Mach Three, and pushed his 2014 bounty to $74,040. He’s banked $233,899 lifetime. As the 1-2 favorite on the tote board, Lyons Johnny returned $3.00 to win.

Three events later, Jason Dillander, who had been out of action due to a May 9 accident at Hoosier Park which left him with two broken ankles, returned to action on Saturday night — and in a big way.

Dillander piloted Philip Coleman’s Cruizin K C to a sharp win in a conditioned event, sweeping four and five wide on the backstretch to circle the field and go on to a 1:53 victory.

After the race, Dillander said, “It was good to get back out there — and great to win! This horse has a big motor when he’s right — and he was right tonight.”

Cruizin K C, also a 6-year-old son of Mach Three, earned his third win of the year and 17th lifetime success to send his career bounty to $130,333.

Also on Saturday night, the backstretch toy drive concluded with a 50-50 drawing with the winner, Rick Berks, taking home the grand prize of $1,000 and promptly donating it back to give a head start to the 2015 drive.

Carol Macomber and Sue Blood spearheaded the drive — as they have for many years — enabling 120 children to have a happy holiday season.

Racing continues Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with high class claimers going postward on Sunday night and a $7,500 guaranteed Pick-4 on tap for Monday and Tuesday.

The Monday card also features fillies and mares in the $14,000 Open Handicap Pace, an event where Just A Bee, fresh off of a brilliant 1:51 win, looks to make it two in a row for driver-trainer Mike Micallef.