It was an absolutely stunning effort by Baseball Express at Pompano Park on Saturday evening – an effort that goes into the record books as one of the three best trotting performances in the track's 46-year history

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The Conway Hall-Pine Booth six-year-old gelding rumbled right down the road in the $15,000 Open Handicap Trot in :27.1, :56, and 1:24.2 preceding the win time of 1:53.3. Baseball Express joins the company of Chucaro Ahijuna (1:53.3, February 2005) and Tweedle Dum (1:53.2, February 2007) as one of three fastest trotters ever to set foot on the South Florida oval.

"He's really stout on the lines and a nervous sort so I just let him do whatever he wants," said driver Tom. "His trainer, Mike Deters, said it that three men and a boy in the bike probably couldn't hang on to Baseball Express if he decides to step out of there."

Baseball Express, owned by Kevin Burch of Springboro, Ohio is now a 15-time career winner of almost $98,000. He was under pressure to earn the victory after a huge final half first over effort came up just short by the excellent mare Alarming Quick. McCoy followed in for third.

In the $15,000 Open Handicap Pace, Daley Deposit Only was a repeat winner and earned a lifetime mark of 1:51.1 in the process.

"I really wanted to lead it all the way but after Card Dealer (driven by Bruce Ranger) moved on me after the quarter in :26.3 I decided to sit second," said winning trainer/driver Dan Daley. "You can only go so fast early or you have nothing left for the finish and I felt good when the fractions were :55.4 and 1:22.2 right in front of me. I had a ton of pace turning for home though I was a little lucky to get back through on the inside.”

Cammabis closed widest for the runner-up share while Card Dealer held third.

Daley Deposit Only is owned by Jared Daley, Ann-Mari Daley, Richard Lombardo and Robert Pergament. The Artiscape-Sassy Cessiann gelding is now a career winner of $185,000 and he's won half of his 10 starts thus far in South Florida in 2010.

Kevin Sizer wrapped up his 2009-2010 winter meet at Pompano Park on Saturday evening by reining in three winners including trotter Khifra Hanover along with pacers Dakota Noc and Hazel Eyes.. He'll be joining Pompano regulars Joe Pavia Jr., Anthony Napolitano, George Napolitano and Matt Kakaley on the season's opening card at Pocono Downs on Tuesday evening.

(Pompano Park)