by Michael Costanzo, public relations coordinator, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — After failing as the favorite in his most recent start, the Florida-bred gelding Railee Possible ended a brief four-race losing streak on Wednesday (July 18) when capturing the featured $18,000 Winners Over Handicap Trot at Pompano Park in a career best 1:55.1.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Railee Possible and driver Dan Clements prevail in the $18,000 Winners Over Handicap Trot.

Driven from post six by Dan Clements, Railee Possible was not content to settle through the early stages of the Wednesday feature and outfought race favorite Guy Gets Girl (Bruce Ranger) to seize control of the race on the first turn after an opening quarter-mile that was clocked in :27.4.

Railee Possible continued to trot comfortably on the lead through middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:26.1 before entering the stretch with a two length advantage.

Never threatened down the lane, the son of Anythings Possible sprinted away from his rivals in the final yards to prevail by 2-1/4 lengths at the wire.

Railee Possible returned $13.20, $5.60, $3.60 for the victory. Guy Gets Girl brought in $3.60, $2.40 for second, while O-Georgie (Daryl Bier) paid $3.00 for third.

Owned by Frank and Inge Smith of Deerfield Beach and trained by Veral Bowman, Railee Possible has visited the winner’s circle in eight of 19 starts this year, with a seasonal bankroll that exceeds $67,000.

Sunshine State Stakes begin

Pompano Park hosted six non-wagering events prior to the start of its Wednesday program as the Sunshine State Stakes for Florida-bred horses commenced with both the male and female divisions for 2-year-old and 3-year-old trotters in the spotlight.

Southern Rain remained undefeated in three starts after taking the evening’s $5,328 opening event for juvenile colt and gelding trotters in 2:04.3 for owner Mark Rorabeck and driver/trainer Mike Deters.

Streeter prevailed in the first of two $5,199 divisions for juvenile trotting fillies when getting the mile in 2:05.4 for owner Amelia Williams and driver/trainer Robert Williams.

Indigo Swirl captured the second division to visit the winner’s circle for the second time in her career, stopping the timer in 2:02.3 for owner/trainer Joseph Kroll and driver Mickey McNichol.

The 3-year-old filly Sweet Melissa was the lone trotter to put forth a sub-2:00 mile in Sunshine State Stakes action on Wednesday as the daughter of Crown Can took the first of two $5,254 divisions for sophomore fillies in 1:59.4 for driver Kevin Wallis and trainer Thomas Wantz, who co-owns the filly with Deborah Wantz.

Crown Candle, another daughter of Crown Can, prevailed in the second division for 3-year-old trotting fillies, stopping the clock in 2:01.2 for owners Ron Barnhard, Dorothy Haughton, and Mary Caputo, and driver/trainer Tom Haughton.

Bull Durham notched his first career victory in the final $5,318 Sunshine State Stakes event of the evening as the sophomore gelding outlasted 2006 divisional champion Blake Island to prevail in 2:00 for driver Dan Clements and trainer Jim Langley, who co-owns the son of Wewering with ABC Farms.