Paquet Injured
He Wants It All was the pocket-rocket for driver Bruce Ranger in winning the $16,000 Open Handicap Pace Saturday at Pompano Park
, and with the win he moved within $11,000 of becoming harness racing’s next million dollar earner.
The third race feature saw Armbro Dynamic shoot right to the early lead with He Wants It All grabbing the two-hole spot. Armbro Dynamic cut fractions of :27, :54.4 and 1:22.2 before being pulled on by He Wants It All. That rival went on to win by a half length in 1:50.3. Armbro Dynamic was second with D Artagnan third.
Trained by Tom Harmer and owned by Michael Polansky of Loudonville, NY , it was the second win in four starts this year for He Wants It All. The nine-year-old son of The Big Dog, a two-time winner of the Isle of Capri Pacing Series at Pompano Park, is now at career earnings of $989,160.
Harness driver Fern Paquet Jr. had to be taken away by ambulance after an accident in the second race pace that threw him on the track surface. As the field was on the final turn, Paquet, 40, was second-over driving Outlaw Blues when the horse made a bobble just as driver Joe Pavia Jr. was tipped three-wide behind him with C Mon Lew W.
The left wheel of Pavia’s bike locked with Paquet’s and then went over Paquet’s right wheel, breaking it and then Paquet was thrown hard to the race surface. Pavia was not unseated from his horse.
Paquet suffered injuries to his right elbow and shoulder and was taken to North Broward Medical Center . Both horses, Outlaw Blues and C Mon Lew W escaped with only minor scrapes and bruises.
(Pompano Park)