No word of a lie: Panocchio stretched his winning streak to six at Pompano Park on Sunday night after being forced to change his usual front-stepping tactics in a for a come-from-behind win.

The six-year-old son of No Pan Intended, starting from the outside eight post with driver Wally Hennessey aboard, had to come from near the back of the pack as more than half of the field went in search of the top spot early, resulting in an opening quarter of :25.1, tied for the fastest opening panel in Pompano Park history.

It was the New Zealand-bred invader Alta Jerome N, driven by John Mac Donald, that eventually made the top spot from post six with Sing For Me George, post five, (Kevin Wallis) settling in the pocket right behind the blazing leader.

Meanwhile, Panocchio was seventh and close to 10 lengths back early and remained in that spot while the half was sizzled in :53.2. On the backside, Panocchio was out and following live cover third over as the field began to tighten up. At the third station, timed in 1;21.1, Alta Jerome was still in front with Duc Dorleans (Rick Plano) right along-side, Sing For Me George bottled up in third Blue Hour Power next and Panocchio widest of all.

In the lane, Duc Dorleans took command but was no match for the late charging Panocchio, who mowed by in mid-stretch and drew clear late to win in 1:50.2.

In a post-race interview, driver Wally Hennessey related, “Well, this was something! This was something! This horse just does unbelievable things. Of course, we couldn’t use our usual tactics because they threw the (kitchen) sink as us early with all the leavers. I had no choice but to take back and, when you spot a field as great as this 10 lengths, it is very tough to overcome. Of course, the speed out of the gate helped up and you know that was unsustainable but, still, to do what he did tonight was unbelievable.

“Again, kudos to Jim (trainer Mattison) and Vicki (his wife) because they keep this horse so sharp. I really don’t get how they do it!”

For Panocchio, owned by trainer Mattison along with Emile Johnson, Jr., it was his 12th win of the year in 25 starts, matching his win total of last season. He now has 48 lifetime wins in 107 starts and $395,928 in career bounty -- $105,161 this year.

As second choice at 8-5, Panocchio paid $5.40 to win, his highest win payoff during this six-race winning streak.

In the $10,000 Open 2 Pace, No Bad Dreams, driven by Dave Ingraham, lowered his mark to 1:50 with a gritty win over pacesetting Pop Cop (John Mac Donald). Cadillac Phil (Wally Hennessey) finished third while Winyard Hanover, going an “even-steven” mile, finished fourth. Grande Seelster picked up the minor award in the field of nine.

It was Pop Cop who pushed the starting gate wings out of the way and that one blazed an opening quarter in :26.1. followed by a half in :54.2.

Meanwhile, No Bad Dreams, sixth and unhurried early on, was out and grinding under the line the first time reaching fourth at the midway point. On the backside, No Bad Dreams kept gnawing away and was just a tad more than a length away at the third station timed in 1:22.

In the lane, No Bad Dreams and Pop Cop got in a slugfest to the wire with No Bad Dreams edging to the fore in the final stages.

After the race, Ingraham said, “he’s just one of those horses that keeps grinding away and grinding away. Tonight, he was very sharp and very determined. He must have paced his last three-quarters in 1:22 or so to get it done tonight. Kinda shows you how great a job Marc (trainer Aubin) still does.

Owned by Jacalyn and Dan Boddie, No Bad Dreams, a five year-old son of Dream Away, won for the fourth time this year with his seasonal earnings now at $36,885. He’s banked just short of $100,000 lifetime -- $99,697 to be precise.

Off as the 2-1 second choice, No Bad Dreams paid $6.80 to win.

In the Open Pace for three- and four-year-olds, Rockntouch, handled by Mickey McNichol, put his main rival, Alone In Spades, in the pocket and then went on to score a gate-to-wire win in 1:51.4.

The four-year-old gelded son of Rock N Roll Heaven, trained by McNichol for Salvatore Promuto and the Fred Monteleone Stable, carded fractions of :27.4, :55.1 and 1;23.3 before a :28.1 sprint home held Alone In Spades (Kevin Wallis) safe by three parts of a length.

Conmans Dream (Corey Braden) finished third while Musashi finished fourth. Owosso Flash picked up the nickel in the field shortened to six with a pair of scratches.

For Rockntouch, it was his 10th win of the year in 35 starts, sending his seasonal bounty to $60,534 and $106,420 lifetime.

As the 1-2 favourite, Rockntouch paid $3.00 to his multitude of followers.

In an $8,500 conditioned event for pacers, the Northfield Park invader Mystic Desire, driven by Aaron Byron, scored in 1:50.1. This eight-year-old son of Real Desire was unhurried early as Respectable Dream (John Mac Donald) and Steelhead Hanover (Mike Simons) played “musical chairs” early through hot fractions of :26.1, :53.4 and 1:21.1 before going on a stretch binge that left him 3-1/2 lengths to the good of Respectable Dream with Team Captain (Kevin Wallis) next. Steelhead Hanover finished fourth while Cartoonist picked up the minors.

Trained by Mark Winacott for owner Tony Malone, the classy Mystic Desire won for the 10th time this year to send his lifetime bankroll to $835,151 -- $49,242 this semester.

Off at 6-1 as fourth choice, Mystic Desire paid $14.00 to win.

In yet another noteworthy performance, Dynamite Dude, a relatively recent arrival in North America from “down under,” got his first pari-mutuel win in the U.S.A. by scoring a 1:51 win for Mike Simons.

The eight year-old altered son of The Wrath of Pan, owned by Albert Abdala III along with trainer-driver Simons, smartly stayed off the sizzling early pace of :27, :54.2 and 1:22.1 before wending his way widest of all in the lane to get by the two dueling favourites — pacesetting Oh My Joepa (John MacDonald) and pocket-sitting Del Rio Seelster (Wally Hennessey) to score by three-quarters of a length.

Coming into the event with a U.S. mark of 1:57.4 in a Pocono Downs qualifier back in late June, Dynamite Dude came into this $10,000 claiming event with a 16-0-0-4 scorecard since his arrival and posted his 22nd lifetime win -- 21 of those, of course, Down Under. He’s banked $169,141 lifetime -- only $8,065 so far in North America.

Dismissed at 10-1 in the betting, Dynamite Dude returned $22.40 to win.

Racing continues on Monday night with the Open Trot for mares the headliner. First race post time is 7:20 p.m.

(with files from Pompano)