There's a charitable dimension this Sunday at The Isle Pompano Park added to the annual Florida Breeders Annual Sale. Pompano based trainer John Hallett has

stepped up to spearhead with a fundraiser for the victims of the recent fire at Ohio's Lebanon Raceway.

"It's just what we do in times like this," Hallett in a live trackside TV interview before the Wednesday evening program in South Florida. "Emotions run high amongst horsepeople because we race against each other day in and day out, but when it's time to help each other after a disaster that's when people in harness racing really show their best side," he said. "We aren't supposed to get attached to our horses and think of them as pets but there's no doubt people that lose horses in a fire like this suffer a big loss in their heart."

Hallett is reaching deep into his personal collection of whips from the game's best known drivers that he gathered after many of their historic wins. Of particular interest are the whips carried by the late Stanley Dancer in his final career driving win with Lifelong Victory, and the whip carried by Ron Pierce in his 2008 Meadowlands Pace upset of Somebeachsomewhere with Art Official. Other whips expected to bring generous bids have been collected over the years from the likes of John Campbell, Bill O'Donnell, Brian Sears, Herve Filion, Jody Jamieson, Wally Hennessey and Bruce Ranger. Most have considerable anecdotal interest since they were carried by the game's top reinsman in rich and historic victories.

"I've heard stories already of people stepping up to give horses to the people that lost them in the barn fire in Ohio, so this I think is a great way to rally the folks in Florida for a fundraiser," Hallett said in his winner's circle TV interview. "I'm expecting many of the whips to raise over $100 at our fundraiser, and in fact Stanley Dancer's whip already has a bid of $125. I know if the situation were reversed that the Ohio folks would reach out to us too."

Notes On Pompano Personnel

Sixty-one-year-old Mickey McNichol has entered hospital for a coronary surgery and is expected to be out of the line-up for eight to 10 weeks.

"The doctors told me I had blockages and it was important I go in and get this looked after as soon as possible," the winner of over 4,400 races in the bike says.

Though he couldn't be at work on Wednesday evening like he wanted to be, the McNichol-trained Western Spurs won a restricted claimer in a life's mark of 1:55 with Wally Hennessey in tow for owner Bruce Bunker of Ft. Lauderdale

Joe Pavia, Jr. said he wouldn't be back from a Hawaiian vacation until December 11, but the Pompano training and driving mainstay of the past 23 years returned to work two days earlier than expected as he drove claiming pacer Maximum Viking to a fourth place finish on the December 9 card.

There's now a second 'Filion' on the Pompano roster this meet: in addition to Henri Filion Jr., George Filion has arrived from Colonial Downs and debuted with a pair of starters including claiming pacer Brians Joy and claiming trotter Conflicting Tales on the Wednesday evening program.

Trainer William Popfinger won his first start at the current Pompano meet with maiden trotter Marion Big Time.

Gro Formia, a frequent competitor in the Mildred Williams International Women's Driving Series, also collared a top prize with her first starter at the meet as Quad In The Pocket topped a field of claiming pacers with Kevin Wallis in the bike.

(Pompano Park)