By reining in a pair of winners that paid over $100 each to win in the past five-day span, driver David Ingraham has truly become 'the longshot man' in the early weeks of 2010 at Pompano Park.
Last Wednesday evening, Ingraham shocked the house in the first race with a crafty, off-the-pace score with My Hearts Cry for a 51-1 win mutuel of $105.20.
On the Monday, January 18 card, Ingraham and his $7,500 claiming pace mount, Jaguars Legacy, were oblivious to the lack of public attention when they were sent off at 65-1.
Ingraham, the winner of over 6,000 career races in the bike, waited patiently in the pack and swung out widest in the stretch to mow down the favourites, My Buddy Jimull with Kevin Wallis and Sixxpak, with Bruce Ranger up. The result was a $2 win ticket return of $132.20 on Jaguars Legacy, which topped a superfecta payout of $13,784. Jaquars Legacy, a four-year-old homebred gelding by N Aboriginal--Millers Jaguar, took a life's mark of 1:57 in the process.
George Napolitano Jr. only arrived last week for seasonal competition at Pompano, and he topped all drivers on the January 18 card with a pair of winners.
Napolitano reined in Mr Romantic over an $8,000 claiming pace group for Valid Enterprises of New Jersey and trainer Anthony Napolitano just before he won the card's final dash by a big margin with claiming pacer Sphinx K for New York owner John Giglio and trainer Tony Catalano.
Also on Monday evening, Stephane Bardier picked up his first driving win of the meet with $6,000 claiming trotter Travelin Lite for Quebec owner Jean Picard and trainer Richard Lauzon. Bardier is training the Florida consignment of Canada's Richard Moreau in the 2009-2010 meet.
When racing resumes on Wednesday, January 20 at 7:05 p.m., there will be a Pick 4 carryover of $2,113 into the fifth race.
The anticipation towards the first weekend of February in South Florida is building not only for the Super Bowl but also for the inaugural edition of a premium night of racing at Pompano Park.
"Oh yes, we've had a really strong volume of local inquiries for the three big races on February 6th, and a few calls from points distant, too," said Pompano's race secretary, Greg DeFrank. "It already looks as though the inaugural edition of the Bernie Goldstein Memorial Pace for a $50,000 purse will be just terrific."
On that same February 6th program, The Isle Pompano Park will also see a $30,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace and $30,000 Open Trot turning to the gate.
"We're getting down to the final stages of planning out the support events that night," said Pompano's director of racing operations, John Yinger. "This big night on the first Saturday night of February is on the eve of the Super Bowl which will be exciting just because of the timing of it. We have several promotional options that we're considering, including the football theme. In addition to the Florida Breeders Championship card back on December 5th, this will no doubt be a second major highlight of our 2009-2010 harness racing season in South Florida."
(With files from Pompano)