Rick Plano has recorded over 6,500 driving wins in his illustrious 43-year career, but Wednesday night (January 28) at Pompano Park was a first for the reinsman as he drove Orator to an 83-1 upset victory in the $13,000 final of the Sea Eagle Late Closer.
The five-year-old son of Tell All, owned by trainer Casandra Uppal along with Rebecca Uppal, stormed home from eighth around the final turn to nail the victory in a three-way photo finish in 1:53.3 – the official margin of victory was just 1/100th of a second.
Rock N Go, in his first start for new owner/trainer/driver Shawn McDonough, finished second after taking a ‘nostril’ lead a step from the wire, while Oakmont (driven by Wally Hennessey) was third, just a neck from the victory after leading much of the way and posting panels of :26.3, :55.2 and 1:23.3.
Who Dey finished fourth while Tivoli Hanover finished fifth.
In a post-race interview, Plano said, "With the outside nine post, I thought that we were in a tough spot because all of these horses are fairly equal in ability and, when you have to spot them several lengths at the start, it's a tough task to be that much better than the rest once we all straighten away after the start. The hot fractions, of course, helped but, around the final bend, I was just hoping to get something out of it. He was pacing pretty hard down the lane and, that, plus the speed coming back a bit, enabled us to get it done. In my 43 years on the racetrack, I don't think I have ever had a winner pay 83-1. Pretty amazing, especially since he was second in his only two starts this year."
The win for Orator was his 16th lifetime and sent his career bounty to $62,210.
The win mutuel was $169.60, keying a 20-cent superfecta payoff of $3,061.80.
Also on the mid-week card were two divisions of the Pop-Up Series for claiming pacers as well as the $14,000 Open Handicap Trot. The latter event went to Dukester, also handled by trainer-driver Plano for Allyn Jones and Maryann Plano.
This eight-year-old son of Duke Of York got a picture-perfect drive, leaving and then yielding for a garden journey as Coco Lindy and Wally Hennessey cut the panels of :28.1, :58 and 1:27. As they turned for home, Dukester left the coziness of the pocket and wore down Coco Lindy with a :28.3 finale, stopping the timer in 1:55.4 for his initial success of the year and 21st lifetime-the official margin being a nose. He's banked $245,690 in his career.
Nithinbutanallstar rallied to finish third for Mark O'Mara while Highland Yankee and Bloodstockshalltab picked up the remaining marbles in the field of nine. Favoured Its Payday Friday suffered a miscue at the start, rallied a bit mid-mile, but eventually finished seventh.
After the race, driver Plano related, "I didn't see too much in the way of leavers inside of us leaving, so I decided I'd let him trot a little early. He made the top easily and then I though it would be best not to get into a war with Wally's (Hennessey) horse (Coco Lindy) so I decided to take the trip. It worked out OK...barely!"
Dukester paid $9.40 as the third choice on the board.
The Pop-Up Series for claimers on the lowest rung of the ladder went in two divisions with No Shenanigans and Yankee Flyer taking their respective divisions.
No Shenanigans, handled by Kevin Wallis for Erin and Leonard Poger, brushed up on the backside to take command and then held on for dear life to score by a nose in 1:54.2 over Dynamic Rayzer (Dave Ingraham) with the fast closing Fox Valley Griffin just a neck back for Joe Sanzeri. Jackets Required and Drinkability also earned awards in the sextet.
No Shenanigans now has 31 lifetime wins and $145,424 in overall purses. Second choice at 8-5, he paid $5.40 to win.
Yankee Flyer, part of the five-horse field (after a scratch) where all entrants had morning line odds of 7-2, took command shortly after a :28.2 opener for Wally Hennessey and proceeded to carve out panels of :57.3 and 1:26.3 before holding off Make You Famous (Bruce Ranger) by a half length in 1:56.3. Alastair Hanover (Jason Dillander) was third with Wake and Cracker Diamond completing the field.
The first four entrants in the field were less than one length apart at the wire, with the top to bottom post-time odds being 3-1, 5-2, 6-5, 10-1 and 7-2.
The winner, owned and trained by Ken Sweetland Jr., went off at 5-2 and paid an even $7.00 to win.
Finally, the Super Hi-5 had only two winning consolation tickets – each worth $2,791.42 – with the carryover to Saturday's program over $87,000.
First-race post time Saturday is 7:30 p.m.
(Pompano)