With trainer Mark Friedman firmly stating six days ago that his prized mare Bling would not leave her home State to race in 2010, she proved again on February 12 that's she the best there is at this time in South Florida
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The four-year-old mare by Scoot Outa Reach-C The Glory was as determined as ever in the weekly edition of the $13,000 purse Fillies and Mares Open Pace with a terrific two-move win. The field was reduced to six starters with the scratches of Alice Springs and Flip For Love, and Bling was fired to the front by her regular pilot David Ingraham from the outside post position to the front quarter in :27.1 over the surface dulled by early evening heavy rains. In the middle stages, Major Trap was moved to the top by George Napolitano Jr. through stages of :57.3 at the half and a final turn arrival in 1:25.4.
In late stretch, it appeared as though Major Trap would hang on but Bling was shown a narrow clear lane down on the pylons. She strolled on through to catch Major Trap in 1:54 to follow up her victory in the February 6 feature for $30,000 on the undercard of the Bernard Goldstein Memorial in fine fashion.
Coreys Apache, in rein to Dan Clements, brushed up from a second over trip behind Hypnotize and Bruce Ranger to secure the show position.
The possibility of a career best year is looming large for the strapping mare Bling. As a Florida Breeders program champion of 2008 and 2009 she'd banked just under $100,000 for Polo Stables of Boca Raton. Already in 2010 she's earned over $30,000.
As conditions improved for the final half of the program, Im Just Special continued her march up the class scale with another blowout win in 1:53 for the evening's fastest mile in a $6,000 purse conditioned test. The Camluck-Ladys Special Girl five-year-old mare is nearing $480,000 in life's earnings for Susan and Ted Colby of Bronxville, New York. This older sister to track record holder Special Sweetheart is also trained by Tom Artandi. The conditioner has won with six of eight starters he's sent out at The Isle this meet.
The weekly edition of the Florida Amateur Driving Club race was won by Gro Formia, as Amazing Hanover went a wide trip to prevail over his $4,000 claiming trot rivals in 2:01.1. Whiteland Will, in rein to Dein Spriggs, cut the mile and stayed for second with the Daniel Harvey driven Bluff Springs up for third.
Sixteen races are set to go on the Saturday evening, February 13, doubleheader at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing at 7:05 EST.
(Pompano Park)