by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Midgie, Pompano Park’s top trotter this summer, goes for his fifth straight win on Friday in the 10th race Open Handicap.

With five wins and two second place finishes in his last seven starts, Midgie is the overwhelming 6-5 race favorite and starts from post six for Pompano Park’s leading driver Wally Hennessey.

A small bay gelding, Midgie is named after the pesky European mosquito-type fly and according to his trainer, Jim McDonald, is perfectly named.

“I never knew what his name meant until recently,” McDonald said. “But I can tell you that the description is perfect for this horse. You gotta watch yourself around him at the barn because he can be pretty mean at times and he does not always behave like you want on the racetrack. But he has a lot of heart and has been giving it his best every week this summer. Plus his driver, Wally Hennessey, knows what to expect from him and the two really get along together.”

A seven-year-old son of Donerail, Midgie is owned by the Knockout Stable of Margate, Florida and has nine wins in 2004. One more victory and he will tie the 15-year-old trotter Tarport Mark as the winningest horse this year at Pompano Park with 10 wins.

Midgie’s main competition will come from Bring It Strong (post three), who is the only horse to have beaten Midgie in the past two months. Also entered is Fester The Pester (post four), who has won his last two starts, but is moving up in class to take on Midgie.

The third and final preliminary round of the 12th annual Seminole Pacing Series for Florida-bred two-year-old fillies takes place in the ninth race.

The 2-1 favorite is Youngbro Fancy (post five), who last week won in 1:58⁴, making her the fastest two-year-old at Pompano Park this year.

Rush Street Blues, fresh off her six length 1:54⁴ romp last week in the Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace, returns to head the 12th race co-feature.