Zorgwijk Emani sets track record at Pompano Park
April 26, 2004,by Steven Wolf, senior director of marketing and communications, Pompano Park
Pompano Beach, FL — Zorgwijk Emani ($6.40), a three-year-old trotting filly by Valleymeister, made her 2004 debut a memorable one, leading from start to finish, winning in a romp by six open lengths and setting a Pompano Park track record for her age and gait with a 1:553 victory for driver Kevin Wallis.
Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith
Zorgwijk Emani and driver Kevin Wallis set the track record for three-year-old trotting fillies with a 1:553 triumph Monday at Pompano Park.
Trained by Linda Wallis and owned by the Cuzzins Stable of Boca Raton, Florida, Zorgwijk Emani surpassed the 11-year-old previous mark of 1:554 set by Expressway Hanover (Per Henriksen) in 1993.
Starting from post four in the seventh race $4,000 trot, Wallis and Zorgwijk Emani shot right to the lead and never looked back, cutting fractions of :281, :584 and 1:271. Istanbul (Jan Johnson) tried coming first-over, but could not keep up with the fast fractions, but held to finish second with Roadster (David Ingraham) third.
As a two-year-old, Zorgwijk Emani started 10 times with four wins and two second place finishes, earning $91,834 on the Ontario Sires Stakes Circuit. Zorgwijk Emani surpassed her previous mark of 2:012 by nearly six seconds.
“I have had her all winter long and she has been perfect,” Wallis said. “That was some mile she went tonight.”
“She is a great filly. What a way to start off the season,” said Ken Solomon of the Cuzzins Stable. “She will now head up north to start her stakes season. Kevin and Linda Wallis have done an excellent job in preparing her for this year and we hope she races like this all season long.”
Former New York Jets kicker Don Silvestri handed former Miami Dolphins Woody Bennett and Troy Stradford a defeat on their home turf, winning the Pets & Animals In Distress Charity Miniature Horse Race.
Silvestri, a late driver change for former Dolphin Kim Bokamper, was able to win the 100-yard trot race with Misty by two lengths over Woody Bennett and a distant Troy Stradford.
“Just another NY Jets win over Miami,” Silvestri said. “I have to give Misty most of the credit and I was happy to be part of the event for Pets & Animals In Distress.”
It was a night for long shots at Pompano Park Monday as six of the nine races had double digit payoffs. Panther Hall started the night winning the first race trot and paid $40 to win, followed by Notorious Terror ($17.20) in the second race pace, Come Home Kosmos ($28.20) in the third race trot, Steel Glory ($89.00) in the fourth race pace, Pass Ya ($50.00) in the fifth race trot and Lexus Gal ($44.00) in the eighth race trot.