On Wednesday, January 22 in Pompano Park’s $10,000 Open Handicap, Andover America, driven by Bruce Ranger, reached back for the guts and class that has propelled him to lifetime earnings approaching $750,000 to earn a narrow head victory in 1:54.4.
The win, the 51st in the nine-year-old's illustrious career, came at the expense of the mare Pure Barre (driven by Mickey McNichol) who finished second. The post-time favourite, Jolenes Pinehonker (Jason Dillander), was a fast-closing third, just a half length away. Shes All in finished fourth and HP Forte finished fifth.
There were several lead changes throughout the contest, as Andover America left sharply once the gate opened, but then yielded to Pure Barre midway around the first turn. After an opening panel in :27.3, driver Mark O'Mara sent HP Forte to the lead and clocked the opening half-mile in :56.2.
On the backside just short of the final turn, Pure Barre left the coziness of the pocket, took command at the third station (1:25.3) and had a clear lead turning for home. At mid-stretch, Andover America stuck his head in front, Pure Barre remained stubborn on the inside with Jolenes Pinehonker closing with ferocity on the far outside.
The win was worth $10.20 to Andover America's faithful and $5,000 to owner Mc Trade Enterprises, sending the trotter's lifetime earnings to $747,740.
After the race, driver Bruce Ranger said, "he (Andover America) reached back for some of that class that has gotten him to this point in his career. Last week, they got by him –narrowly. This time, he held on – narrowly. He's gone so many tough miles in his career that you never know if he's 100 per cent on his game or only 98 per cent. He gave 100 per cent tonight…and that's why he's such a great horse."
Ranger also took the Open ‘2’ with Robert Weinstein's Mymomsablizzard, who made her 2014 debut by scoring by a neck over the fast-closing House Money (Wally Hennessey) in 1:55.4. I Love New York (Dave Ingraham) was a very fast-closing third. The favoured Stonebridge Idol finished fourth after having sawing off panels of :27.1, :56 and 1:25. Undercover Bro finished fifth in the seven-horse affair.
For the Allan Johnson-trained daughter of CR Excalibur, it was her 41 career victory sending her lifetime bounty to $461,396.
(Pompano)