by John Berry, for Pompano Park and the Florida Amateur Driving Club

Editor’s Note: The USTA produced a pair of videos from the competition. We asked the drivers, “What’s harness racing like in your country?” and you may view that video at this link. We also asked the drivers, “What’s your full-time job?” and that video may be viewed by clicking the link above or at this link.

Pompano Beach, FL — New Zealand’s Danny Blakemore captured the title in the first Isle International Amateur Driving Championship, which concluded on Sunday night (March 13) at Pompano Park.

The DVD video store owner scored in his only Sunday night drive in the competition to wind up with 41 points, pinning the defeat on Dein Spriggs (36 points) while Italy’s Enrico Columbino and Germany’s Michael Gutsche finished in a dead-heat for third with 31 points.

The seven-race competition, held over the weekend at the south Florida oval, was highly contested and went down to the final race with Blakemore on the sidelines and Spriggs needing a win to snatch the title — but that was not to be this night as Spriggs’ charge finished third in the final event after a cozy pocket trip the entire mile.

Blakemore drove Benns Score Keeper to a win in the first race on Sunday night — his second victory in the competition — but that being his fifth drive in the two-day event, was on the sidelines looking in as each driver in the competition had, at the most, five drives.

Skip Smith photo

USA’s Dein Spriggs guided Rhapsodys Star to a 1:56 win in one of Sunday’s three race Isle International Amateur competition at Pompano Park.

Spriggs, scheduled to drive in all three events on this final night, was cut to two drives with the scratch of one of his entrants in the first of three Sunday night events. Whether that made any difference in the outcome will never be known but he was listed to drive the favorite in the first event but that entrant was scratched due to lameness. By the rules, Spriggs received two points because of the scratch but, as Spriggs said, “You never know whether that made a difference or not.

“The health of the horse is always paramount to the importance of the drive. Since the horse had a situation with lameness, I may have only gotten one point anyway and the real point is to take care of the horse.

“Look, Danny (Blakemore) had to sit on the sidelines the last two races, too, so he performed well when it counted. Kudos to Danny. He deserved to win.”

Indeed, with 29 points coming into Sunday night and only one drive remaining, Blakemore was in a must-win situation as his main competitors, Germany’s Michael Gutsche, Russia’s Ivan Serik, Hungary’s Andrea Fazekas, USA’s Spriggs, Austria’s Johann Preining, Spain’s Jaume Bassa and Italy’s Enrico Columbino were all within striking distance with each having enough drives on the final night to win the competition.

But with Blakemore giving Benns Score Keeper a picture perfect drive in the opener, the down under driver eliminated some of those competitors, leaving only five in the battle for the top spot going into the second round on Sunday.

In that opener, Benns Scoer Keeper, an 8-year-old chestnut son of Lockkeeper, was away in good order as Pilgrims All In, handled by Finland’s Tapio Hoikka, used his rail post to slice through hot opening panels of :28.1 and :57, keeping Imminent Response, driven by Andrea Fazekas, outside looking in. On the backside, Swan Yankee, with Enrico Colombino handling the mare’s lines, was on a binge and moved alongside the leader past the third station in 1:28.

That’s when Blakemore found some room to roam, tilted Benns Score Keeper outside, then three wide, to have clear sailing in the lane. With a :29.2 rally home, Benns Score Keeper was up in the final few strides to win in 1:57.4, prompting him to relate in a winner’s circle interview that “it was a lovely trip and I had a choice of moving a bit earlier or being patient and I chose the latter. Thank goodness for that!”

Swan Yankee did finish second while Pilgrims All In held on for third. Favored Increditable recovered from an early miscue to finish fourth while Imminent Response picked up the nickel.

Trained by James Kaspar for owner Marshall Makin, Benns Score Keeper won for the second time this semester and 25th lifetime, propelling his career bounty to $161,078. As the 8-5 second choice, Benns Score Keeper paid $5.20 to win and finalized Blakemore’s point total at 41.

Spriggs captured the second event with Rhapsodys Star, that 9-year-old son of Rambaran earning his initial success of the year in nine starts with a very sharp win in 1:56 — his margin of victory being three lengths over Gold Star Kenny P (Colombino) with Dynamic Rayzer (Tapio Hoikka) third. Mr Rightnow (Serik) finished fourth while Blended Whiskey (Michael Holmer) finished fifth in the octet.

Owned and trained by Daniel Gassien, Rhapsodys Star won despite being parked vying for the lead through suicidal early fractions of :27.4 and :55.4. Taking the lead on the backside, the winner rolled through three-quarters in 1:24.3 before coasting home in 1:56, prompting Spriggs to say in a post race interview, “it wasn’t the easiest of trips for him with those fast fractions and that’s why I had to keep after him in the lane — just to make sure!”

Rhapsody’s Star returned $5.20 as the favorite on the strength of this win — his 20th lifetime in 189 career starts. The win propelled Spriggs’ point total to 30 after this round with one to go and needing a win in the finale to earn the crown.

It was not to be.

Spain’s Jaume Bassa-Riera guided Joe Sanzeri’s Flashy ($5.00), an 8-year-old daughter of The Panderosa, to a wire-to-wire victory in 1:56.2 off of panels of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:25.4. Go Go Patty Jo finished 4-1/4 lengths away in second while Maid Of Silver, with Spriggs sitting chilly in the garden spot the entire route, third. Colombino finished fourth with Southwind Vixen while Ton Of Luck, with Michael Gutsche in the bike, was fifth.

Flashy now sports 22 lifetime wins and $125,997 in career bounty.

Skip Smith photo

New Zealand’s Danny Blakemore (second from left) holds the cup symbolic of victory in the inaugural Isle International Amateur Championships. Dein Spriggs (left) finished second in the event while Italy’s Enrico Columbino and Germany’s Michael Gutsche dead-heated for third.

Thus, the final tally showed Blakemore on top with 41 points, followed by Spriggs (36), Columbino and Gutsche in a heater for third with 31, Russia’s Ivan Serik next with 27 and Spain’s Bassa with 25. Andrea Fazekas and Johann Preining, Jr. each earned 21 points while Tapio Hoikka (15), Michael Holmer (13) and Nils Oliv-Holm (12) completed the International roster.

In an awards ceremony after the event, prominent amateur driver Steve Oldford lauded the event that “had such a profound and positive effect on amateur driving, as well as the charities world-wide that have been selected by each of the participants.“

Oldford then added that this grand event would not have been possible without the generosity of the Florida Amateur Driving Club, the North American Amateur Driving Association and the United States Trotting Association, all of which made significant contributions both in monetary power and manpower.

“And we can’t say enough about the entire staff of Pompano Park — Brett Revington, Greg DeFrank, Joe Frasure and their entire staff. They were, to put it mildly, just great!

“Wally Hennessey was so helpful, as well. He, of course, has won many events over in Europe and he really made all of our participants feel right at home at his stable.

“Finally, Roger (Huston) was his usual great self in describing the action. I believe this was the 172,213th race he has called.”

Huston interrupted, saying it was, actually, his 172,226th, including this stint here at Pompano Park!

“It was an honor to me,” Huston said, “to be a part of this historic event. I usually am not at a loss for words, but, in this case, I am. This was terrific.”

FEGAT President Claes-L. Ljung echoed Oldford’s comments by saying, “The time has come for all of us to band together and see how we can further this competition.

“The Florida Amateur Driving Club did a tremendous job in putting this competition together and their hard work paid off in an unimaginable manner. We can — and should — build on this initial step forward for this type of competition.”

Champion Blakemore said, “The camaraderie during this event was just incredible. People and nations intertwining in a manner of goodwill and friendship was absolutely unbelievable. It certainly was a highlight in my life in this great sport.

“On a ‘more serious note,’ the DVDs of my two winning races will be available in my store very soon! I am sure they will become best sellers!”

Panocchio wins Pompano Open

Almost lost in the fog of the Isle International Amateur Series at Pompano Park on Sunday night were outstanding performances by Panocchio and Southwind Amazon in their respective pacing features over the South Florida oval.

Panocchio took top honors in the $15,000 Open Handicap Pace by scoring a gate-to-wire win for Wally Hennessey in 1:51 — his margin one length over the late charging Whogoesfirst (Dave Ingraham) and 1-1/2 lengths over Dede’s Dragon (George Napolitano Jr.), closing fastest of all — :27.3 — in the event. Heart Felt finished fourth while Bluehourpower picked up the nickel despite a miscue at the beginning.

Panocchio, the exceptional 6-year-old gelded son of No Pan Intended, left like a rocket from his outside post six and was safely into the lead just a few long strides after the Hummer Starting Gate left. The gelding then zipped an opening panel in :26.1 before Hennessey gave his charge a breather through a :29.2 second panel, reaching the half in :55.3 with Johnny Grippa in the pocket and Bluehourpower on the move outside.

Through a picked up official third panel in :27.1, Bluehourpower reached the saddle pad of the leader as they reached that third station in 1:22.4. In the lane, Panocchio stretched the lead to almost two lengths at mid-stretch before Whogoesfirst and Dede’s Dragon put in their late surges to edge closer but Panocchio’s :28.1 closer was more than enough to preserve the victory — his second of the year in five starts.

After the event, driver Wally Hennessey, quickly approaching win number 9,000 career-wise, had high praise for both horse and trainer.

“This is just an honest, trying hard pacer that does everything asked of him — within reason, of course. I felt comfortable when we got to the half kind of cheap (:55.3) because I knew it would take a final half better than that to get to him. He got a great trip tonight and a lot of credit has to go to the trainer, Jimmy Mattison, who keeps him ready to go every time he sees the gate.”

Owned by trainer Mattison along with Emile Johnson Jr., Panocchio won for the 38th time career-wise to send his bankroll to $315,927 — $25,160 in just five starts this year. As the 1-5 toteboard favorite, Panocchio paid $2.60 to win.

The $11,000 Open 2 Pace went to Southwind Amazon, driven by George Napolitano Jr., scorched the Pompano oval in 1:49.2, a lifetime best effort.

The 6-year-old son of Camluck was away in good order from his post three as Thebestofjoel, driven by Aaron Byron, rushed up to take command through an opening quarter in a hot :26.2 with Southwind Amazon on the move around that opening turn and into the lead a few strides later.

Carding subsequent panels of :54.3 and 1:21.4, Southwind Amazon used a :27.3 finale to scorch the field by 5-1/2 lengths. Buddha Blue Chip (Mike Micallef) finished second while Thebestofjoel was safely third. Barbarian and Winyard Hanover also earned checks in the sharp septet.

After the event, the always subdued Napolitano merely smiled and said, “He was very good tonight!”

Trained by Paul Holzman for Ameer Najor, Southwind Amazon now sports a 4-0-1 scorecard in nine starts, good for $23,764. He’s now won 21 times in 75 lifetime starts with a career bankroll of $239,632 to go along with his new lifetime mark — his previous best being 1:50 over the lengthy Mohawk oval. Southwind Amazon paid $3.00 to his multitude of backers.

Monday’s program features a carryover in the Super Hi-5 finale of $73,926.26 with post time set at 7:30 p.m.