by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — With a first, fourth, and fifth place finish, the women drivers from the Florida Amateur Driving Club at Pompano Park Harness Track defeated a team of women drivers from Germany in the second race trot on Thursday. Florida driver Gro Formia led from start to finish with Fun Message ($6.40, $4.00, $3.60) and won by two and one-quarter lengths.

Fun Message and driver Gro Formia of Pompano Park win the Germany Women Vs Florida Amateur Driving Club Woman race Thursday, March 11 with a 2:00⁴ triumph

German driver Beate Nimczyk was second with Chili Mac and Hannelore Wurzinger finished third with Homestead Prince. Wurzinger is Germany’s top woman driver, with 397 career wins, and is a 13 time Bavarian driving champion.

Wirzinger was also the winner of both the World championship and European championship for women drivers.

Lap Time Photos

Left to right are Florida Amateur Driving Club Members and drivers Irene Cole, the club’s executive secretary; Michele Brainard; Diane Helen, vice president; Laurie Poulin; Kim Lapier; Gro Formia; Alan Benjamin, president; followed by the German women drivers, Hannelore Wurzinger, Brigitt Denk, Renate Lindinger, and Beate Nimczyk

“It was our first time ever driving at Pompano Park and it was very exciting,” Wirzinger said. “It is a beautiful track and everyone has been so kind and friendly to us all. It is a wonderful time here.”

Pompano Park’s all-time winningest driver and current winter meet leader, Bruce Ranger, had the hot hands once again on Thursday when he won four races on the program, including the eighth race, $4,500 pace with Ignite My Fire ($3.60) in a speedy 1:52³, a new lifetime mark.

The $60,000 Valley Victory Trotting Series for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old trotters will get underway on Friday with three $6,500 divisions. The month long series will features three weeks of preliminary action, and the top-nine point-earners will return on Friday, April 2 for a $20,000, added final.

Standouts include Sir Clayton, who has won five of his eight starts this year and who is the winningest horse at Pompano Park this year; Trotting Intruder, who has won three of his last four starts; and Regal Visitor, who will be going for his fifth straight win.