from Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Most astute observers had written Northern Companion off when he trailed by nearly seven lengths at the halfway point of Saturday night’s (Dec. 1) $11,500 Open Handicap Pace at Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.

Driver Rob Hoffman wasn’t one of them, though, urging his favorite horse past one rival after another until nailing pacesetter Special Strides (Rick Plano) by a head at the wire. Hay Goodlooking (Kevin Wallis) was another length back in finishing third.

“He’s an amazing horse!” says Hoffman. “He can’t leave as much as some of the nice horses he has to race against week in and week out, but he can close with the best of them. If I can just keep the leaders in my sights at the head of the stretch, I know Northern Companion will dig down deep to try and pass them. He’s the rare one that doesn’t seem to know the end of the mile.”

Witness the :27.1 final panel in Northern Companion’s most recent triumph, his third in a row in the week’s top pace, and seventh last quarter in his last eight starts of :27.3 or quicker.

Owned by Dorothy Zarza and trained by Howard Klohr, the winner now sports a 2012 summary line of 16 wins, 10 place finishes and two show finishes in 34 starts. It is possible the 4-year-old gelding’s next win could push him past $100,000 in career earnings with 90 percent of it coming this season.

Racing resumes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, when the big news will be the introduction of the 10 percent takeout (lowest in the industry) guaranteed $5,000 Pick-4.