Pompano Park was host for the $427,300 FSBOA Championship Series for Florida-bred two and three year-olds on Saturday night (Nov. 30).

Tough Issue, driven by Bruce Ranger, took top honours in the non-wagering $50,300 Florida Breeders Stake for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings by scoring a handy victory measuring three and a quarter lengths in 1:56.3.

Owned by Brenda Komers along and the Verderame Stable and trained by Mike Deters, the gelded son of Tough Sir registered his fifth win of the year in 12 starts by wiring together panels of :28, :58.3 and 1:28.3 before sealing the issue with a final quarter in :28-seconds.

Goldstar Kenny P (Mickey McNichol) was second with Warlock (Wally Hennessey), expected to be the chief competition to the winner, third in the trio after making a miscue leaving.

The victory pushed Tough Issue’s earnings to $55,745.

Showing Off and driver Wally Hennessey teamed up to win the $51,600 Breeders Stake for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings with a sharp 2:01.3 win in the second of two non-wagering events at Pompano Park.

The son of Wewering, owned by Richard and Sandra Dunmire along with Jay Sears, still hospitalized but recuperating from a training mishap a few weeks back, was away cautiously as Gator On Patrol (Tom Sells) carved up early panels of :31 and 1:01.1 with Geronimo Fame (Bruce Ranger) in pursuit. On the backside, Hennessey asked the gelding to roll and roll he did, brushing up from third and using a :29.2 third panel to take command with authority before easily striding home a two and a half length winner over Geronimo Fame. Gator On Patrol did finish third while Midnight Michael picked up the minors in the quartet.

Showing Off now has a 5-3-0 scorecard in 11 starts, good for earnings of $46,382.

“...These two-year-olds are still learning and haven’t become the ‘push-button’ racehorses yet -- you know, he made a break leaving in his last start," said Hennessey after the race. "So, I let this one settle in early before ‘pushing the button’ on the backside. He responded great.”

Jay Sears’ filly Markie, handled by Wally Hennessey for trainer Kim Sears, captured the $55,200 Breeders Stake Final by romping home a winner by over Trotting JC Poss (Andy Santeramo) in 2:02.

The daughter of Proud Bushy, 3-5 on the toteboard, was away gingerly avoiding trouble early as two combatants went off stride leaving. Fifth at the opening :30.2 quarter, Markie was out and going three-eighths into the mile, reaching fourth halfway through the mile timed in 1:02.1.

On the backside, Markie surged from five lengths out of it to a commanding lead of three and a half length by the third station in 1:31.1. From there, it was a cakewalk as the filly crossed the line three and a quarter lengths to the good of Trotting JC Poss with Famous Halle (Bruce Ranger) third.

Blame Bushy recovered from an early miscue to finish fourth while Goldstar Ginger picked up the 'nickel' in the septet.

For Markie, it was her seventh win of the year in 11 starts and pushed her bounty to $57,700.

She paid $3.20 to win.

Jay Sears picked up yet another Breeders Stake crown when his free-legged filly Tashia, driven by Stephane Lareau, eked out a photo finish victory — a literal whisker — over the 1-5 toteboard favorite Dont Spank Me (Bruce Ranger) in the $55,400 final in 1:54.1. Full Of Fame (Joe Pavia Jr.) finished third after making a bold first-over bid around the final turn. Delray Princess and Track Girl pick up the final awards.

The daughter of Six Of Diamonds was last in her field after opening fractions of :27.1 and :57 halfway through the mile, then wended her way into contention on the backside, fanned four-wide turning for home after three-quarters in 1:25.3 and just did nail the pacesetting Dont Spank me in the final stride.

"This filly is as tough a filly as you’ll find on the racetrack," said Lareau. "After they took the pants [hopples] off of her, she became a racehorse and I think the difference tonight was Kim [trainer Kim Sears] giving her a qualifying start a week ago just to keep her tight. The other filly [Dont Spank Me] hadn’t been out since early in the month and that just may have been the difference.”

For Tashia, it was her 11th win of the year, pushing her seasonal bounty to $67,351.

As third choice in the betting pool, Tashia paid $14.20 to win.

The lightly raced Tyrees Treasure, a bridesmaid in her last two outings, finally became the 'bride' in winning her $52,800 Breeders Stake for three-year-old trotting fillies in a lifetime-best performance of 1:59.3.

The daughter of Famously, off as the 8-5 second choice, led every step of her mile for Bruce Ranger, pinning a two and a half length defeat on the 2-5 favourite Tea Party Express (Rick Plano). Hollys Diamond was third -- 18-1/4 lengths away -- while Piper Pfeiffer and Sweet Loreley completed the quintet.

“It was a pretty handy win for her this time around,” said Ranger. “She always has good gate speed, but tonight she had a very good kick coming home. Mark [trainer Mark Friedman] did a great job getting her ready for this and a whole bunch of credit goes to him.”

Friedman, indeed, made a few rigging changes to the filly to make her more comfortable and she responded bravely late in her mile to insure the win -- her eighth lifetime in only 13 starts.

She’s banked $94,554 lifetime -- $39,729 this year for owners the Polo Stable and Hollie Proesel.

Tyrees Treasure paid $5.40 to her $2 backers.

Amante Standardbreds’ Hillybilly claimed the Breeders Stake crown for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings by scoring a convincing 1:53.4 three length win in the $53,800 final.

The son of N Aboriginal, handled by Bruce Ranger, was sent off as the 3-5 public choice and defeated Quincy (Bryce Fenn) with 31-1 outsider Jose Lightning (Kevin Wallis) third. Goldstar Thumper finished fourth after cutting panels of :28.1, :56.3 and 1:26.2. Wingull picked up the final award in the field of six.

Hillybilly left alertly, taking a garden seat back of Goldstar Thumper. He left the cozy pocket around the final turn and easily took command at the head of the stretch before drawing off in the lane for his ninth win of the year in 22 starts.
“He’s such a handy horse," said Ranger. "He can leave, he can close, he’s just a pleasure to handle. Last week, when he made a rare break, he just kind of outpaced himself.

Tonight, he was well within himself all the way.

The victory pushed Hillybilly’s lifetime bankroll over the $100,000 mark ($104,434) and enriched his $2 backers to the tune of $3.20.

Goldstar Jessica, handled by Kevin Wallis, proved her maiden win of a week ago was no fluke as she waltzed off with the top prize in the $53,700 Breeders Stake Final for juvenile pacing fillies in 1:56.1.

This daughter of Rock On left alertly and was away third as Sandalonia (Mickey McNichol) and Voluminous (Mel Turcotte) battled violently through panels of :28.3 and :57.4. On the backside, J D Eleven Bells (Rick Plano) surged from fourth into the lead past three-quarters in 1:27.2. All the while, 'Jessica' was searching for room, and at the top of the lane found some, and roared on by on the strength of her :28.2 finale.

Sandalonia gamely held on for second over the late-charging Limelight (Ed Hensley) and J D Eleven Bells (Rick Plano). Heather picked up the final award in the field of nine.

Owned and trained by Tom Audley, Goldstar Jessica was the 7-5 public choice and returned $4.80 to win. For Audley, though, the win was worth $26,850 and vaulted the filly’s earnings from $14,735 to $41,585.

Railee Kwik, trained by Jim McDonald for owner Joe Pennacchio, got a picture perfect drive from Bruce Ranger to win the $54,800 Breeders Stake final.

The son of Basil, in the garden spot from the word 'go,' picked up the pieces after Sky Crest (Stephane Lareau) set hot fractions of :27.2 and :57.2 and held off the late-surging Goucher (Bryce Fenn) to win by a neck in 1:59.3. Tim T (Tom Sells) was third with Sky Crest fourth. Proud Expression recovered from an early miscue to pick up the final award.

“They were going hot the first part -- hotter than normal for these -- and I thought I’d better try and get a jump on them turning for home," said Ranger after the race. "Bryce’s horse [Goucher] was flying late so I had to get into my guy a little bit at the end, but he held on.”

The win nearly doubled Railee Kwik’s earnings for the year -- $28,483 coming in and $55,883 going out.

It was Ranger’s third Breeders Stake win of the night.

In regular racing action, Mark O’Mara’s Cruizin K C earned a hard fought 1:50.1 victory in Pompano Park’s $10,000 Open 1 Pace on Saturday night.

The five-year-old eked out a narrow decision over Lyons Johnny (Wally Hennessey) and took a new lifetime mark in the process.

The son of Mach Three earned his ninth win of the year and sent his seasonal bounty to $83,933.

Red Hot Yankee was third for Ed Hensley while Panocchio, who took the lead after a :26.4 quarter and proceeded to put up numbers of :54 and 1:21.4, finished fourth.

B N Bad picked up the 'nickel.'

Cruizin K C, second choice in the betting, paid $7.40 to win.

(With files from Pompano Park)