Buoyed by several mandatory payouts, Pompano Park closed out its 2018-2019 season with a strong Saturday (May 4) finale with wagering topping $1.3 million.

The wagering highlight of the program came in the final race, as the Super Hi-5, with its carryover of over $127,000, attracted over $256,000 in new wagers, which vaulted that total pool to over $383,000.

While the program was dotted with several long-priced winners, chalk players were rewarded in the Super Hi-5 with favourites finishing ‘one-two,’ which resulted in over 8,700 winning tickets being sold on the winning 6-5-2-7-1 combination, which returned $38.58 for the 20-cent investment.

Wally Hennessey led all drivers in wins with 359 while Mike Simons, Dave Ingraham, Rick Plano and John MacDonald rounded out the top five.

Gaston Lareau led all trainers with 60 visits to the winner’s circle, which edged Jim McDonald and Kim Sears in that department. Plano and MacDonald finished in a dead-heat for fourth in the trainers’ standings.

In the ‘batting average’ (UDR) department, Hennessey finished first at .522, and competed in 920 races while achieving that lofty score.

Pompano Park, in cooperation with the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association also presented its trainer incentive awards program with Gaston Lareau, John MacDonald, Dan Hennessey and Marie Schaefer taking the top prizes in their respective divisions.

Pari-mutuel racing at Pompano will resume in early November with Florida-bred two- and three-year-olds beginning their season in October in non-wagering events.

(Pompano Park)