Muggleston, Pennacchio, Oldford star in amateur events at Pompano

Pompano Beach, FL — Billy Muggleston, Joe Pennacchio and Steve Oldford took top honors in Sunday’s (March 13) trio of events as the Florida Amateur Driving Club continued showcasing their charitable efforts on behalf of harness racing.

In recent weeks, the FADC went over the $240,000 plateau in charitable donations based on the generosity of their membership donating all driving earnings in their events to the club for distribution to organizations — most recently to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Tomorrow’s Rainbow, the CHHA and the Standardbred Retirement Foundation.

For A Dreamer, handled by Billy Muggleston, scored a handy 1:56.3 win in a Florida Amateur Driving Club event. Jessica Hallett photo.

Sunday’s festivities began as Billy Muggleston, longtime helicopter pilot for the great Herve Filion, guided his own For A Dreamer to a sharp 1:56.3 win.

The 7-year-old gelded son of Cantab Hall, trained by Allen Saul, sprinted to the top after the opening quarter and opened up daylight the rest of the way in scoring by a length over Everyone’s Talkin (Ron Cusimano) with The Big Muscle (Tom Eichas) third.

The win was number 21 for For A Dreamer and sent his lifetime earnings to $250,320. For Muggleston, it was his 98th career victory.

Pennacchio gave his own stable’s Keystone Blade very crafty handling in scoring a one length victory with his 9-year-old altered son of Yankee Glide in 1:58.1. Steel Reserve (Don Cromer), the longest shot on the board at 57-1, was second while A Royal Line (Steve Oldford) finished third.

Going right to the front off the wings, Keystone Blade refused to let Noble Legend (Devan Miller) by in the early stages, clocking :28.2 and :57 at the first two stations. On the backside, Steel Reserve began his sprint and reached second around the final bend that gave Pennacchio’s charge a :31.2 backstretch breather.

Keystone Blade and Steel Reserve briefly raced as a team, but Keystone Blade had something left in a :29.4 finale and edged away late to score his 30th career win to push his lifetime earnings to $225,670 — $17,000 this semester. Off at 11-1, Keystone Blade paid $24.60 to win, keying a 3-8-1 $2 trifecta payoff of $9,360.80 and a 20-cent pentafecta ticket worth $7,632.92. For Pennacchio, it was his 207th career win.

Oldford then guided his Oldford Racing’s Sumbodygetdisfool to a game photo finish win in 1:58.4 over Magic Bob (Dennis Whittemore) with Better Call Saul (Tony Dinges) third.

In a determined effort to wire his foes, Oldford sent his charge right to the front from his rail post and held Golden Wheel at bay through panels of :28.4, :57.2 and 1:27.3 with Magic Bob in the garden spot cozily in third.

In the lane, Sumbodygetdisfool drifted out a lane or two, allowing Magic Bob to take the short route, taking a whisker lead at the 16th pole. But Oldford’s horse kept gnawing back and put his nose up at the wire.

Sumbodygetdisfool is a 4-year-old gelded son of Armbro Approach trained by Maurice Goldschmidt Jr. A nine race winner last year, Sumbodygetdisfool earned his second win of the season with his earnings edging over $10,000 this season and $95,121 lifetime. He paid $6.20 as the favorite. Oldford now has 192 lifetime wins.

Racing continues on Monday night with a Pick-4 pool guaranteed at $15,000 (12 percent takeout) and a Super Hi-5 finale with a carryover of more than $55,000. Post time is 7:20 p.m.

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