Pompano Beach, FL — Pompano Park’s annual pro-am team challenge for charity featuring greats Tim Tetrick and David Miller went down to the wire on Sunday night (Feb. 14) with Team Tetrick eking out a photo finish win.

The four-race competition featured Tetrick and Miller as captains of their respective teams with many of the finest amateur drivers in the sport competing to benefit New Vocations and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Pompano Park’s John Berry is flanked by Tim Tetrick (left) and David Miller (right) as Tetrick accepted the trophy for a photo finish win in their annual amateur challenge on Sunday night. Dee Leftwich photo.

The final tally was 85-83 with Joe Pennacchio’s win with his trotting mare Grey leaving the Miller team just two points short as the Tetrick team managed to finish two-three in the final event to barely protect their precarious lead going into the final leg.

The four-race event kicked off with Miller and Tetrick finishing one-two with Verdi D Em and General Jackson, respectively. Forbidden Song (Kelly “Sky” Walker-Team Tetrick) finished third as the first round ended in a 21-21 tie.

Verdi D Em, a 12-year-old gelded son of Neoh Jiel, covered the mile in a season’s best 1:56.3 for owner-trainer John Hallett to vault his career earnings to $349,336. The winner paid $9.20 as third choice in the betting and completed a David Miller Daily Double returning $26.60.

In the second leg, Tetrick sent Prince Of Minto ($11.20) zipping off the wings from the outside eight post into the lead and that 8-year-old son of Angus Hall never relinquished and scored in 1:57.3 for his initial win of the year for Leon Cable, who trains for owner David Jarvis. Cashahallic (Ron Cusimano-Team Tetrick) was moved up to second on a disqualification while Fleet Cessna (Billy Muggleston-Team Miller) also improved a spot to be placed third.

The Tetrick victory sent his team into a 49-35 lead after round two with that win putting Tim to within one win of 12,000 lifetime.

In the third leg, Dein Spriggs (Team Miller), with 479 career wins coming in, scored the triumph with his own Uva Hanover ($11.60), a 10-year-old altered son of Cantab Hall, stopping the timer in 1:55. Glide In The Wind (Miller) was left in his wake, six lengths back, with Santini (Steve Oldford-Team Tetrick) third. The classy Uva Hanover, trained by Allen Saul for Spriggs, vaulted his career bounty to $557,853.

After round three. the score tightened with Team Tetrick holding an eight point lead — 67-59.

The final leg went to the bay mare Grey ($7.00) for Pennacchio (Team Miller) in a well-rated 1:56.1, a seasonal best. The 4-year-old daughter of Charlie De Vie blasted off the wings to take charge, opened with a :28.3 panel, got a breather to the :58.2 half, was confronted on the final bend (1:27.3) and used a :28.3 finale to hold off Bigboy Rosco (Walker-Team Tetrick) by a neck. Tymal Tullo (Tetrick) finished third with the final outcome resulting in that aforementioned 85-83 Team Tetrick win.

Representatives for New Vocations and the Make-A-Wish Foundation were in the winner’s circle as each charity received a $5,000 donation from the Florida Amateur Drivers Club, in cooperation with the USTA.

The USTA was also represented during the festivities with Mike Tanner and Wendy Ross, among others, in attendance with Tanner, in a winner’s circle interview, remarking, “It’s events and nights like this that make harness racing the grand sport that it still is. To be able to help great organizations like New Vocations and the Make-A-Wish Foundation through harness racing is absolutely outstanding and we are glad to be a small part of it. The Florida Amateur Driving Club deserves kudos for making this an annual tradition and it shows what gentlemen David Miller and Tim Tetrick are — not only great horsemen, but great individuals.”

Wagering for the program was, once again, over $1 million with the final total being $1,126,910 for the nine-race program — the 13th time this season that handle has eclipsed $1 million with several near misses as well.

Racing continues on Monday with a 13-race bonanza featuring twin $30,000 guarantees on the two Pick-4 events encompassing races six through nine and 10 through 13. There is also a carryover in the Super Hi-5 finale of $8,236.47. Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.