Heart Felt, craftily handled by Bryce Fenn, put on a game performance on Sunday night (April 30), taking Pompano Park’s $10,000 Open Handicap in 1:51.4.

The six-year-old altered son of Well Said overcame the outside post to post a photo finish win — a neck — over Arsenal, driven by Dave Ingraham. Fritzie Pic Up Man, with Wally Hennessey in the sulky, recovered from an early miscue to finish third, a half-length away. Goldstar Raider was a fast-closing fourth while Rock On Moe, prominent throughout much of the mile, picked up the final pay envelope in the classy octet.

In an early battle for supremacy, the three outside horses, Arsenal, Rock On Moe and Heart Felt, all were in search of the top spot with Heart Felt gaining the top past the :26.2 opener before yielding to Rock On Moe (Dan Daley) — briefly.

Three-eighths into the mile, Fenn sent Heart Felt back to the front and carved out middle panels of :54.2 and 1:23 before a :28.4 final panel held Arsenal at bay at the wire.

After the race, Fenn related, “The only way I was going to get into the race was to leave out of there. After all, when you have the outside post, you cannot afford to spot an evenly matched field like this 10 lengths every week.

“Last week, they were leaving all around me so I didn’t have much choice but, tonight, it looked like we were the only ones with noses right on the gate, so we were rocking and rolling early.

“When Dan [Daley] put his horse on top, my horse didn’t seem content in the pocket, so I tipped him out and reclaimed the lead.

“He went a game trip, I’ll say that.”

Trained by Luanna Beeson for Winchesster Baye Acres, Heart Felt won for the fourth in 15 starts to push his 2017 bankroll to $33,275 and $5 short of $140,000 career-wise.

As the 5-1 third choice, Heart Felt paid $12 to win.

The win for driver Fenn was the third of the night. He scored a consecutive grand slam of sorts by taking the early Daily Double on Sunday after sweeping the late Daily Double on Pompano Park’s last program on Wednesday night.

In other Pompano Park action on Sunday, Groovey Kid, handled by Wally Hennessey, scored a decisive win in a conditioned trotting event, stopping the teletimer in a lifetime-best 1:54.3.

The “hard-headed” six-year-old gelded son of Cincinnati Kid began a sweeping move from sixth with one lap to go and swept to the lead three-eighths from home and went on to score a win measuring nine and three-quarter lengths over Body Double (Joe Sanzeri) with Ill Tell You What (Kevin Wallis), making his 300th career start, third. Railee Workable recovered from an early miscue to finish fourth while Uptoa Dream picked up the final award in the field of nine.

Trained by Dan Hennessey for owner John Campagnuolo, Groovey Kid won for the third time this semester in 15 starts, pushing his 2017 earnings to $18,975 and $136,240 lifetime.

The mile eclipsed the trotter’s former mark of 1:55, accomplished when he won for the first time this year.

“He can be sort of 'hard-headed' on occasion,” Hennessey said, “but, when he puts his mind to it, he can trot a ton. He did that tonight!”

As the 6-5 toteboard favourite, Groovey Kid paid $4.60 to win.

Racing continues on Tuesday night with Boli looking to score a three-peat in the $10,000 Open Handicap Trot. This five year-old son of Kadabra will have to overcome the outside post to conquer a field including Sailer Eddie, Keystone Bodacious, Commentary, Legend Field, Caviart Griffin, McKenzies Star, My Revenuer and Skyway Pippen.

Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.

(With files from Pompano Park)