by Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL —Trotting Intruder ($3.80) brushed to the lead in the backstretch and scored an easy one and three-quarter length triumph in scoring his second straight win in the $60,000 Valley Victory Trotting Series at Pompano Park on Friday.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Trotting Intruder and driver Donald Dupont breeze to a victory in the third leg of the Valley Victory Trotting Series at Pompano Park on Friday.

Trained by Marie Dupont and driven by Donald Dupont, Trotting Intruder covered the one mile race in 1:57². It was his fifth win in his last seven starts for owners Ecuries Dupont and the Dupont Horse Racing Stable of Florida and New Hampshire. Second was Sierra B (Terry Morgan) and third was Analyst (John Patterson, Jr.) in the third race $6,500 trot.

The second race first division of the Valley Victory Series saw Istanbul ($3.60) and driver/trainer Jan Johnson get a dream two hole trip behind Muscletone (George Napolitano, Jr.) and then pull away in the stretch to win going away by two and one-half lengths in 1:58¹. Malabarbarian (Bruce Ranger) was second with Silver Challenge (Walter Ross, Jr.) third.

It was the third win this year for Istanbul, a four-year-old stallion by Pine Chip, who is owned by the Arden Homestead Stable of Delhi, New York.

Next Friday, April 2 will be the $27,400 final of the 11th annual Valley Victory Trotting Series and featured will be the return of unbeaten Regal Visitor, going for his seventh straight win.

Damon Runyon returned to winning form, wiring the field in the 10th race $10,000 Open Handicap Trot for driver Wally Hennessey in 1:55². Damon Runyon cut fractions of :28, :57² and 1:27, then held off both the pocket-sitting Ultimate Sundance (Bruce Ranger) and Lori Louise (Kevin Wallis) to win by one length.

It was the third win this season for Damon Runyon, a seven-year-old gelding by Cumin, trained by Lawrence Nichols and owned by Carol Karter of Lake Worth, Florida.

Pompano Park will have a free concert Saturday starting at 7:00 p.m. featuring the Beatles Tribute Band, The Cavern, and the Buddy Holly Tribute Band, Raveon. Each group will perform two sets during the evening.