Pompano concludes record meeting

Pompano Beach, FL — Pompano Park concluded a record breaking meeting on Sunday (May 2) with the famed South Florida oval setting several pari-mutuel records during the slightly shortened 105-night season.

With a record 21 nights with handle exceeding $1 million, Pompano Park’s average per night handle was $765,001, also a record. Prior to this meet, Pompano Park had but six million dollar handle nights during its 57-year history dating back to 1964.

The competition was very hot in the top class for pacers from start to finish with Ideal Feeling winning the first two Open Handicap pacing events in November in identical times of 1:50.4 for Dave Ingraham, who was in the bike for trainer Peter Blood and owner Rick Berks.

Just days later, Bell I No broke the coveted 1:50 barrier with a stunning 1:49.3 performance for driver John MacDonald and trainer Tee Wine in a conditioned pace. Two weeks later, he was in the winner’s circle after a 1:50.2 triumph in the Open.

Other Open winners to close out the year of 2020 were Seeing Eye Single and Lyons Night Hawk — the latter stopping the timer in 1:49.4 for Kevin Wallis, who was in the sulky for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and owner Lon Frocione. Prairie Panther then closed out the year of 2020 with a win in this top class in 1:51.

Dec. 20 was “Super Night” at Pompano Park with more than $400,000 in purses distributed to the top Florida bred trotters and pacers.

Hurrikanekingjames, perfectly handled by Carl Garofalo, made it a perfect five-for-five during the FSBOA season by taking home the major share of the $51,500 pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings in 1:53.2. The sophomore distaff pace went by disqualification to Laurie Lee, driven by Wally Hennessey, that purse also $51,500.

Prairie Romeo, with Corey Braden handling the lines, took advantage of miscues by his competitors to win the $51,000 Breeders Stake for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a lifetime best 1:59 while Brasen Bo, driven by John MacDonald, only needed to mind her manners to win the major share of her $49,000 event for the distaff 3-year-old trotters.

Theflyingrock, with Mike Simons in her sulky for owner Marie Marsh, took top honors in the 2-year-old event for pacing colts and geldings with a sharp 1:54.1 performance and in the companion for the trotting colts and geldings, Seeking Matthew was the only combatant to mind his manners the entire route to win the major share of his $51,500 event.

In the $52,400 Breeders Stake for 2-year-old trotting fillies, Ifnotmewho, driven by Wally Hennessey, edged past arch-rival Prairie Virtue by a neck in 1:58.4. Ms Rodeo Drive, with Dave Ingraham driving, picked a very opportune time to break her maiden with a win in the $54,500 Stake for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

As 2021 kicked off, Lyons Night Out started his year off with a 1:50.3 win followed by Rebellious wiring the field in 1:50.3 for Wally Hennessey, driving for trainer Mike Deters, who co-owns with Joel Warner.

In mid-January, Joe Chindano Jr.’s Skip To My Lou, the tiny son of Sweet Lou, finally tackled the Open class pacers with success as he won in 1:50.4 before taking a week off and then winning again as February rolled in, stopping the timer in 1:51.2.

In late January, Seeing Eye Single, well off the sizzling pace of :53.3 for the first half, circled up on the backside to take charge around the final bend to win in 1:49.3 for John MacDonald, subbing for David Miller. Miller’s daughter, Devan, was the trainer for owner Sylvia Burke.

Also in late January, the grand gelding Southwind Amazon recorded his milestone 100th career win in a conditioned event for David Miller, who drove for trainer Paul Holzman and owner Ameer Najor.

Yet another sub-1:50 performance was achieved by Skip To My Lou on Feb. 8 as he, too, did not join the fray through sizzling opening panels of :25.4 and :53.3 before a vicious backside blitz eventually brought him to the finish line in 1:49.

From that point on, the Open Pace class remained ultra-competitive with Rebellious, Prairie Panther, Skip To My Lou and Ideal Feeling reaching the coveted winner’s circle — the latter on three different occasions.

In the top class for pacing mares, Tempus Seelster, Prairie Westerngal and Ask Me Ifi Care were the dominant forces as the meet opened with Crisp Mane, Cult Icon, Lucky Artist, Beach Journey, She’sgotitgoingon and Casie’s Believer all reaching the winner’s circle throughout the season.

The fastest mile for the mares was achieved by Tempus Seelster as the 8-year-old daughter of Big Jim toured the Pompano oval in 1:50.2 for Joe Chindano Jr., who was in the sulky for trainer Rob Rittof and owners Dandy Farms and the FT Racing Stable.

Tempus Seelster won the first Open Pace for the mares in mid-November and completed her “bookends” season with a win in the final Open for the mares as the season neared its conclusion.

On the trotting side of the ledger, Muscles For Life, DG’s Caviar and Born To Thrive traded barbs throughout much of the season with In Secret and Enzio also hitting the winner’s circle in the absence of the aforementioned “Big Three.”

Muscles For Life, the Steve Oldford trained and Jerold Hawks owned 8-year-old son of Muscle Mass, won three of his first four starts in this top class but had to share the limelight with DG’s Caviar, trained and driven by Andy Shetler for owner Daniel Graber. This product of Prime Time Caviar won his first four upon arrival to South Florida and set a track record for 4-year-olds by scorching the oval in 1:53 on Dec. 28.

Born To Thrive, the forever grinding gelded son of Swan For All, gnawed his way to multiple wins in the top class with his most impressive outing in mid-February, when he stopped the timer in 1:52.4. Rick Plano was in the bike for owners Maryann Plano and John Campagnuolo.

Yet another emerging star from the Plano Stable was Toys For You, owned by Rick Plano. The 5-year-old gelded son of Airzoom Lindy began moving up the ladder in February with a track record tying 1:52.2 performance in a conditioned event and then reeled off three more wins — the last one in the top class.

There were several noteworthy performances by drivers and trainers during the season with Hall of Fame driver Wally Hennessey reaching the 200 win plateau while winning at a percentage rate of more than 27. David Miller came to town for the winter months and won 106 races while his win percentage was at a lofty 26.

Others in the top 10 list were Kevin Wallis, Mike Simons, Rick Plano, Joe Chindano Jr., John MacDonald, Dave Ingraham, Braxten Boyd and Joe Sanzeri.

Chindano and Boyd, both 21, have emerged as the future stars of the sport with their prowess in the bike as Chindano had 68 wins for the season with Boyd in the winner’s circle on 38 occasions.

Plano led the trainer’s list in wins with 54, followed by Melissa Beckwith, Tee Wine, Jake Huff and Mike Deters. Cory Kreiser, Chindano, Peter Blood, and Jim McDonald were next while there was a virtual “dead-heat” for 10th with Simons, Jason Merriman and Gaston Lareau in the mix.

In the all-important purse money standings, owners who had Hennessey in their sulkies benefitted to the tune of $1,170,105. Kevin Wallis, Mike Simons, David Miller and Joe Chindano Jr. were next on that list.

In the trainer’s category, Mike Deters led the way with more than $400,000 in purses for his owners, followed by Rick Plano, Jake Huff, Tee Wine and Chindano.

Ladies played a vital role on the success of the 2020-2021 season with the aforementioned Melissa Beckwith leading a strong contingent of female trainers reaching the winner’s circle with 45 wins and a winning percentage exceeding 25, while vaulting over the $200,000 plateau in earnings.

Jennifer Giuliani was second in the women’s standings with 19 wins, followed by Devan Miller (17), Cassandra Uppal (16) and Brandy Wine (14). Melanie Wrenn, Marna Shehan, Jennifer Sansone and Jamie Macomber were next with Wine and Wrenn 1-2 in terms of win percentage with trainers with 30 or more starts.

Kelly Case, Kim Sears, Maggie Audley, Miriam Toland, Stacey McLenaghan, Donna Riedel and Marie Dupont also had success reaching the winner’s circle this season.

The Florida Amateur Driving Club added zest to the racing season with weekly highly spirited competition and a flurry of donations from their member drivers donating all earnings back to the club for charitable distribution. Since their inception, the club has helped worthy causes such as Make-A-Wish, Go For The Greens, cancer research, horse rescue organizations and many others to the tune of more than $220,000.

Among the leading amateur drivers this season were Ron Cusimano, Dein Spriggs, Joe Pennacchio, Sky Walker, Steve Oldford and Leon Cable.

In the “better for the bettor” department, wagering was bolstered by the huge buffet of wagering options offered by the track, including the traditional early and late daily doubles, Pick-3s and Pick-4s — these popular offering boosted further by the nightly Pick-5, Pick-6 and Super Hi-5.

The popularity of the Pick-4 increased dramatically with generous guarantees offered by Director of Racing Gabe Prewitt.

Of the growing interest in that specific wagering option, Prewitt said, “The guarantees helped, of course, but the ‘kicker’ was that we offered the Pick-4 with a 12 percent takeout — the lowest in the industry.”

Pompano Park will soon put the finishing touches on plans for the 2021-22 season with 126 racing nights scheduled to begin in the fall.

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