Though show wagering was banned on the Florida Sunshine State Stakes three-year-old filly pace championship due to the presence of Goldstar Rosie, it was Bling that gathered all the glory in the end
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The daughter of Scoot Outa Reach-C The Glory was well meant from the outset as David Ingraham sent her through fractions of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:24.2 with the favoured Goldstar Rosie and Bruce Ranger right on his helmet. In mid-stretch Bling finally put away the favourite to stop the clock in 1:52.3. Mark Friedman trains Bling for the Polo Stables of Boca Raton and the outstanding effort was just a fifth of a second from the category track record of 1:52.2 set by Miss Easy with John Campbell in October of 1991. The win also helped Ingraham creep to within six victories of the 6,000 lifetime plateau.
A pair of $13,000 purse Open events were also contested on the 82 degree evening in South Florida.
In the Open Trot, Colies was making his second start back from a two week rest which followed a Summer campaign at Saratoga. Wally Hennessey sent the four-year-old son of Credit Winner-Just For Sport right down the road for a 1:55 life’s mark. Dan Hennessey trains the career winner of over $204,000 for the Fred Monteleone Stable of Pompano Beach. Favoured Gale Warning raced second-over in rein to Tom Sells but he could not catch Colie’s at the finish. Battleshoe Victor went a tough first over trip with Bruce Ranger up and stayed for third.
Ranger would count a total of four wins in the bike on the Friday night card at The Isle Pompano Park. The biggest win he turned in was the front end score by Alice Springs in the Fillies & Mares Open Pace. The four-year-old mare by N Aboriginal-Ilsa withstood late stretch pressure from the pocket-sitting Shytown Lightning with Andy Santeramo to win by a nose in 1:53. Alice Springs is trained by Tom Harmer for Michael Polansky and Ciara Stable and she’s now won 21 of 28 career starts. Finishing a close-up third was Chapsboots N Spurs with Wally Hennessey.
Prior to Friday evening’s pari-mutuel card, the $12,000 Florida Sunshine State Stakes final saw three-year-old filly trotter Pearl Of Capri rack up her 15th consecutive win. The homebred daughter of Famously-Jettas Pearl campaigns for Inge and Frank Smith and trainer Veral Bowman. At the end of the comfortable 2:00.3 with Bruce Ranger at the helm Pearl Of Capri was almost four lengths better than Famous Angel and Parsley Sprig.
A major storyline of the Saturday evening, October 3 is whether Object Of Art can triple up in the top class. He’s been ordered the outside in the field of eight by Race Secretary Greg DeFrank in the $13,000 Open Pace. Action in the Florida Sunshine State Stakes finals at 6:10 p.m. will precede the regular Saturday night card at 7:05 p.m.
(Pompano Park)