Champions in all eight juvenile divisions were crowned Saturday night at Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park in Florida Breeders Stakes Finals each carrying over $50,000 purses.
The night commenced with a non-betting pre-program $53,200 event for the Sunshine State's finest three-year-old pacing colts. Keemosabe (Bruce Ranger), who was clearly the best in the division all season long, solidified himself as a contender for Florida Horse of the Year with his 14th victory in his 19th 2012 start. His 1:51 clocking tied his own track record for sophomore pacers. Keemosabe was open lengths ahead of runner-up Gold Star Spike (Rick Plano) and Goldstar Raider (Walter Ross Jr.) when the wire was reached. Jerry Glantz owns the son of Squaws Fella.
Tyrees Treasure (Bruce Ranger) dominated the two-year-old trotting fillies in their $54,000 split, besting Tea Party Express (Mel Turcotte) and Sweet Loreley (Mickey McNichol) in 2:04.1. It was the fourth win in five lifetime starts for Hollie Proesel and Jerry Beach's daughter of Famously.
Sky Crest (Bruce Ranger), part of an Ahisha Marinakis-owned entry, pulled a mild upset in the two-year-old trotting colts division, beating favoured Tim T (Tom Sells) and Railee Kwik (Wally Hennessey) in 2:00.4. It was just the second win in nine lifetime trips to post for the son of Crest. The winner's share of the $57,800 purse pushed Sky Crest's earnings over $45,000.
Goldstar Thumper (Walter Ross Jr.) lived up to his favoured status with a gate-to-wire 1:55.1 score in the two-year-old pacing colts race. Thomas Audley's winner is now six-for-eight in his freshman season with a pair of place finishes. Hillybilly (Kevin Wallis) made a valiant attempt to overtake the 'Thumper' in the stretch, but came up three-quarters of a length short. Diamond Master (Dave Ingraham) got the show dough in the $54,700 final.
Owner Thomas Audley got his second championship when his three-year-old pacing filly Gold Star Gidget (Walter Ross Jr.) swept to an easier-than-expected victory over favored Prairie Lee (Tom Sells) and Diamond Amber (Kevin Wallis) in 1:54.3. The daughter of Rock On has now amassed over $75,000 in earnings in two seasons of Florida-bred racing.
Pinch Of Thyme (Kevin Wallis) also pulled a mild upset by capturing the three-year-old trotting fillies $56,600 event, beating Dessert Princess (Wally Hennessey) and Mica Michelle (Andy Santeramo) in 2:00.4. It was just the second seasonal win for Fred Morosini's fine filly, but she has finished in the money in all 14 of her 2012 starts and now has career earnings of $116,000.
The final two Florida Breeders Stakes championship races were hotly contested right to the wire with a 'head' being the official margin of victory in both cases.
Seven Arias Deshawn Minor guided Laura Newbery's two-year-old pacing filly Seven Arias right to the front of her field, rebuked a first-over attempt by favoured Dona, then held off Dont Spank Me (Kevin Wallis) by the narrow margin in 1:55. I C U Misty (Walter Ross Jr.) was far back in third. The winner now sports a fine freshman summary of six wins and three place finishes in nine tries.
Heavily-favoured Matcan gave driver Bruce Ranger his fourth Florida Breeders Stake win on the evening when the three-year-old trotting colts contested their $54,400 final to cap the Florida Super Night extravaganza. Although he went directly to the front of the field and controlled the race with comfortable fractions, Matcan didn't seem as dominant as usual as he just held on over Feel Like A Gator (Kevin Wallis) in 2:01.1. Orleans (Rob Hoffman) was next best. Fred Monteleone Stable owns the winning son of Matchem Hanover who is now six-for-six in 2012 following a nine-out-of-10 freshman season in 2011.
There was a new winner in the $10,000 Open Pace on the undercard. Pacinello (Rick Plano), in his first Florida start after a successful summer at Vernon Downs in New York, managed a 1:51.2 triumph over Yankees In Six (Kevin Wallis) and Neptune Blue Chip (Wally Hennessey). D & E Racing Inc. owns the six-year-old son of Little Steven, who now sports a career bankroll of $344,805.
(With files from Pompano Park)