by Michael Costanzo, public relations coordinator, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Memphis Hall extended his winning streak to four on Wednesday (Jan. 23) while remaining unbeaten as a 4-year-old after prevailing in the $5,500 non-winners trot at Pompano Park in 1:58.4 over a track listed as “sloppy” following a late afternoon of South Florida showers.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Memphis Hall, driven by Hall of Famer Bill O’Donnell, edges clear of Pathway Dot Com to prevail for the fourth consecutive time at Pompano Park.

Guided from post four by Bill O’Donnell, who inherited the drive when Brad Hanners took off the remainder of the night following an incident in the first race, Memphis Hall was never able to find a spot on the pylons and was parked out in fifth place as Pathway Dot Com (Dan Clements) covered the opening quarter in :28.3.

Memphis Hall continued to grind away at the leader while taking the overland route, moving up to third as Pathway Dot Com reached the half-mile marker in :58.4, before wrestling the top spot away from that rival through a three-quarter split in 1:27.3.

Memphis Hall entered the stretch with a half-length advantage over the vanquished Pathway Dot Com, and extended that margin to one length at the wire to keep his winning streak and perfect season intact.

Memphis Hall returned $3.40, $2.60, and $2.20 for the victory. Pathway Dot Com brought in $6.80 and $4.00 for second, while Fimo (Daryl Bier) paid $3.20 when finishing third.

Owned by Terry Kinsley, Cynthia Kinsley, and Kathy Smith, and trained by Hanners, Memphis Hall has now visited the winner’s circle three times in 2008, which already surpasses his two-win total from 15 starts last year. The son of Like A Prayer also prevailed in his final appearance of 2007, and has hit the board in each of his last nine outings.

Four horse incident in first race at Pompano

Drivers Kevin Wallis and Ralph Collins were taken to North Broward General Hospital for observation, and driver Brad Hanners took off the remainder of the Wednesday program at Pompano Park, following a four horse accident in the first race of the evening.

As the field of pacers passed the half-mile pole, Wallis angled Scoot For Glory from third place to make a first-over bid. After a few yards the 4-year-old horse went down, causing Yankee Raven (Hanners), Sci Fi (Collins), and River Runs Red (Daryl Bier) to fall as well.

The four horses involved in the incident appeared unscathed, and Bier remained at Pompano to complete the Wednesday program.