by John Berry, for Pompano Park
Pompano Beach, FL — The FSBOA sponsored Sunshine State Stakes continues over the weekend with seven events carded on the non-wagering Saturday morning (Sept. 30) program and one event — the 3-year-old pace for colts and geldings — on the pari-mutuel kick-off card on Sunday (Oct. 1).
The Saturday program features the 2-year-olds with pacers Krinda and Jay Jay looking to score repeat wins along with trotters Brian and I Rhoda Daley.
Krinda, a sharp looking daughter of Six Of Diamonds, won her racing debut impressively in 2:02.2 — :29.4 for Bryce Fenn, who was in the bike for trainer Kim Sears and owners Jay and Brian Sears.
Said Fenn after the event, “You don’t ever know what to expect when a 2-year-old begins their career but, let me tell you, she was impressive, especially in the late stages of the mile.”
Jay Jay, also a son of Six Of Diamonds trained by Kim Sears, was impressive as well, making a second brush in the lane after being out-gunned on the backside and relinquishing the lead. He covered his mile in 2:04.2 for 75-year-young Jay Sears.
Brian took his division of the juvenile trot, giving Jay Sears a driving double and trainer Kim a trifecta of training wins, which became a grand-slam a bit later on the program. The gelded son of Proud Bushy, owned by Jay and Kim Sears, covered the standard distance in 2:06.3 — :29.3.
On the sophomore side of the ledger, Azzaro and I’m Done renew their rivalry in the 3-year-old event for trotting colts and geldings. Both have records of 10-5-5-0 with Azzaro benefitting from an early miscue by his arch-rival to even their lifetime stats. Owned by Jay and trainer Kim Sears, Azzaro, an altered son of Proud Bushy, earned a new lifetime mark of 2:02.4 for driver Wally Hennessey.
Last year’s Super Night champion, Gold Star Aurora, demolished her foes by 43-3/4 lengths in her sophomore debut for Wally Hennessey, who was in the sulky for owner Marianne Audley and trainer Maggie Audley. She romped around the Pompano oval in 2:00.4.
The 3-year-old pace for colts and geldings is just one of the highlights of the kick-off pari-mutuel card as Pompano Park begins its 54th racing season on Sunday.
While Marah Lee’s Maybe Ned, a sharp gelded son of Royel Millennium, romped in 1:57.2 — :57.1 for trainer/driver Bryce Fenn, the task may not be as easy this time around as last year’s Super Night champ, Prairie Panther, joins the fray after four tune-ups in New York. Prairie Panther is owned by trainer Mike Deters along with Laurie Poulin.
Post time for the non-wagering Saturday events is 10 a.m.