by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Stakes record holder Samaryllis heads the $20,500 final of the sixth annual Miss Easy Pacing Series at Pompano Park on Wednesday. The four-year-old mare drew post three in the fifth race final for driver Wally Hennessey and is the 5-2 favorite over Sing Flying Monkey (post four), who has won her last three starts.

It was only two starts back that Samaryllis set the stakes record for the Miss Easy Pacing Series for three and four-year-old fillies and mares, getting a perfect driver from Hennessey and winning in 1:54¹. In the opening round of the series she had lost by only a head to Sing Flying Monkey, who also defeated her last week in the third leg of the series. A four-year-old mare by Moonlight Sam, Samaryllis is owned and trained by Rod Lorenzo of Deerfield Beach, Florida.

The 3-1 second choice in the race, Sing Flying Monkey, has yet to miss hitting the board this year with three straight wins, a second and a third place finish in five starts in 2004. The four-year-old daughter of Artsplace is trained and driven by Joe Pavia, Jr. for the Mike Rich, BJR and Pavia Stables of Florida. Last week she won by a head in a lifetime best time of 1:54², just one-fifth of a second from Samaryllis’ stakes record.

Bella Bliss, who was second to Sing Flying Monkey last week in that photo finish, starts from the rail for driver/trainer/owner Michael MacDonald and is the 7-2 third choice in the race. She has been either second or third in the three Miss Easy Series preliminary rounds.

The series is named after the great filly Miss Easy, who ended her career winning 25 of 32 lifetime starts, finishing off the board only once in her entire career and had earnings of $1.7 million.

18 enter Mack Lobell second round

There are 18 trotters that have entered the second round of the $125,000 Mack Lobell Trotting Series on Friday at Pompano Park. There will be two $17,500 divisions scheduled as the fourth and sixth races on the program.

The fourth race first division features last week’s opening round winner, Ultimate Sundance, who starts from post two for driver Bruce Ranger. Ultimate Sundance had a perfect trip in scoring a half length triumph in 1:56¹, his first win in six starts this year.

Other contenders in the field include I’m Dam Goog (post six), Son Of Flair A (post eight) and co-track record holder Damon Runyon (post seven).

The sixth race second division features the only mare in the series, Lori Louise, who won last week over the boys in 1:56¹. She starts from post seven for driver Kevin Wallis.

Her main rivals are Coerfurst (post one), co-track record holder Trapper’s Salute A and Sovereign Fire (post six).