by Michael Costanzo, public relations coordinator, Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — South Florida trotting sensation and world record holder Tweedle Dum will attempt a three-race sweep of the sixth annual Mack Lobell Trotting Series when he starts in the $77,800 final at Pompano Park on Saturday, Feb. 24. The race has attracted a field of seven and will go as the third event on a stakes-filled program from the Pompano Beach oval.

World record holder Tweedle Dum will attempt a Mack Lobell Series sweep in the $77,800 final on Saturday.

Installed as the 3-5 morning line favorite in the Mack Lobell Final, Tweedle Dum enters Saturday’s trot on a three-race winning streak that began on Feb. 2 with a world record-equaling mile in 1:53.2 to match the mark set for older geldings on a five-eighths-mile track.

That effort made Tweedle Dum the fastest trotter in the 43-year history of Pompano Park, and in 2006 the 7-year-old son of Star Challenge set the Pompano Park track record with 21 victories for the season.

A winner in both rounds of the Mack Lobell Series, Tweedle Dum has visited the winner’s circle in 23 of his last 27 starts, and has not finished lower than third since making a break and crossing the wire ninth in last year’s Mack Lobell Final.

Tweedle Dum is owned by Diane Norris and Alfred Brotter and will be driven from post six by Walter Ross, Jr. for trainer Gordon Norris.

The Panhellenic Stable Corporation’s Dink Adoo, who has finished second in both rounds of the Mack Lobell Trotting Series, returns for the Saturday final for trainer Michile Lorenzo and is listed as the 2-1 second choice in the morning line.

Winless in five starts this year, Dink Adoo came up a nose shy of Tweedle Dum in the opening leg of the Mack Lobell Series, and was most recently beaten 1-3/4 lengths by that rival in leg two.

Dink Adoo enjoyed his most lucrative season in 2006 when prevailing 15 times, with a second place finish in the $105,000 Dygert Final at Hawthorne Race Course and a third place performance in the $200,000 American-National Open Trot Final at Balmoral Park.

With a career bankroll of $620,747, the 8-year-old son of Inquirer is the top money earner in the field. Dink Adoo will start from post two for the Mack Lobell Final with Wally Hennessey at the lines.

Michael Polansky’s Battleshoe Victor enters the Mack Lobell Final off a third place performance in the second leg of the series. The 5-year-old son of Valley Victory was an eight-time winner in 2006, highlighted by a victory in the $48,500 Eddy Oakley Final at Hawthorne. Battleshoe Victor will be driven from the rail by Brett Miller for trainer Tom Harmer.

The Mack Lobell Trot was established in 2002 and is named after the world champion trotter and stallion, Mack Lobell, who won the 1987 Hambletonian and still holds the 3-year-old colt track record at Pompano Park of 1:54.1, set in the 1987 Breeders Crown. Mack Lobell retired in 1989 with 41 victories from 58 starts and $2,770,144 in earnings.

The Mack Lobell final
Post – Horse – Driver – Morning Line
1. Battleshoe Victor – Brett Miller – 6-1
2. Dink Adoo – Wally Hennessey – 2-1
3. Guy Gets Girl – Bruce Ranger – 8-1
4. Muscular – Dave Mercer – 10-1
5. LF Sharp Score – Mark O’Mara – 20-1
6. Tweedle Dum – Walter Ross, Jr. – 3-5
7. Victor’s Pursuit – Steve Condren – 15-1

Red Bow Tie Invitational attracts nine Florida-bred pacers

A field of nine has been assembled for the $50,000 fifth annual Red Bow Tie Invitational for Florida-bred pacers, including the two-time defending winner Hearty Fellow, and Swingin Glory, who prevailed in the 2004 edition of the race.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith photos

Hearty Fellow holds off Flight Of Glory to win the 2006 Red Bow Tie Invitational Pace. The pair will meet again in the 2007 edition.

Starting from post nine in Saturday’s race, Hearty Fellow is seeking his third straight victory in the Red Bow Tie. The 7-year-old gelded son of Hearty Welcome exits a seventh place performance in a non-winners event at Pompano on Jan. 20, and has since returned to qualify with a 1:58 triumph on Feb. 19.

Owned by Amante Standardbreds, Inc. of Delray Beach, Fla., and trained by Marc Aubin, Hearty Fellow will be driven from the far outside post by Wally Hennessey.

The 13-year-old veteran pacer Swingin Glory is the top money-earner in the field with over $800,000 banked during his career, including a victory in the 2004 renewal of the Red Bow Tie.

Owned by Richard Strauss of Chicago, Ill., and trained by Allen Saul, Swingin Glory crossed the wire ninth in a race at Pompano Park on Feb. 17 and returned two days later to pace a qualifying heat in 1:58.

The son of Raging Glory will start from post five in Saturday’s Red Bow Tie and will have Daryl Bier at the lines.

Paper Exchange, owned by the Frank Monteleone Stable LLC of Pompano Beach, has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite in the Red Bow Tie.

A 13-time winner in 2006, Paper Exchange will be making his third appearance in the Red Bow Tie. The 6-year-old son of Ditch Em finished third in last year’s edition of the race and crossed the wire second in the 2005 renewal.

Paper Exchange was beaten 3-1/2 lengths in his most recent outing when finishing fourth to I Can Only Imagine in a $10,000 Open Handicap Pace. The gelding is trained by Tom Beckette and will be driven from post eight by Bruce Ranger.

Starting from the rail in the Red Bow Tie Invitational is Flight Of Glory, who is listed as the 3-1 second choice in the morning line.

In his most recent appearance, the 6-year-old son of Raging Glory was a decisive five length winner in a non-winners race at Pompano on Feb. 17 where he covered the mile in 1:54.1.

Owned by the Estate of Robert Powell of South Daytona, Fla., and trained by Michael Deters, Flight Of Glory will be driven from the inside slot by Brett Miller.

Rare Glory is making his fourth appearance in the Red Bow Tie Invitational after missing the race in 2006.

The 8-year-old son of Raging Glory has won three of five starts this year, most recently scoring in a claiming handicap where he prevailed by two lengths in 1:54.1.

Anthony Napolitano has accepted the driving assignment for Rare Glory, who is owned by the Maddy J Racing Stable of Wellington, Fla., and is trained by Jacques Dupuis.

The Red Bow Tie Invitational was established in 2003 and is named for the Florida-bred son of Raging Glory who won 59 of 136 starts in his career, earned $2,673,920, and achieved a lifetime mark of 1:48.2 when taking the 1999 William Haughton Memorial Final at the Meadowlands. Red Bow Tie still holds the track record for 2-year-old geldings at Pompano Park of 1:52.3, set in 1996.

The Red Bow Tie Invitational
Post – Horse – Driver – Morning Line
1. Flight Of Glory – Brett Miller – 3-1
2. Dontpassdamustard – David Ingraham – 12-1
3. Rare Glory – Anthony Napolitano – 4-1
4. Scoot To Victory – Ricky Macomber – 8-1
5. Swingin Glory – Daryl Bier – 15-1
6. Lover Boy Le Ru – Joe Pavia, Jr. – 8-1
7. Stylish Glory – Kevin Wallis – 15-1
8. Paper Exchange – Bruce Ranger – 2-1
9. Hearty Fellow – Wally Hennessey – 10-1