One of the more interesting equine rehab stories of the 2011-2012 season at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park is the journey along the comeback trail for veteran trotter San Remo Kosmos
.
The S Js Photo-Sissy De gelding hadn't raced since February of 2009 prior to landing in the Pompano backstretch in the barn of Peter Pellegrino for the Baron Stable of Horsham, Pennsylvania. The 28-time career winner, who has banked over $621,000, took his life's mark of 1:52.3 at The Meadowlands in July of 2007 just before a close third place finish in that year's Nat Ray Memorial.
Originally developed along the Pennsylvania Fair Circuit and sires stakes trail by Todd Schadel, Roger Hammer, and Rodney Bolon, San Remo Kosmos raced with the continent's best from 2007 into 2009 in the care of Mark Silva, Ben Wallace, and Jimmy Takter.
On the Wednesday, January 4 program in South Florida, San Remo Kosmos followed in for a solid runner-up finish in a $5,700 purse conditioned trot with Bruce Ranger in the bike. His 104th career start followed a pair of third place finishes and two qualifiers on the comeback trail at Pompano.
Keystone Thomas: New Year, Same Story
The mid-week card featured the first Open Handicap Trot of 2012 and Keystone Thomas gave no clue that his 2011 successes will be curtailed anytime soon.
Jaavos Boy, in rein to David Ingraham, was trying to repeat his heroics of December 28 with another front end try, which lasted into the stretch after battling with Pembrook Street to the final turn in 1:25.4. Keystone Thomas had been lurking in the pocket since the early strides and Bruce Ranger had to swing his charge three-wide turning for home to find racing room and the wire first in 1:55.1. Jaavos Boy persisted for second and the pylon-skimming Senator Hall, with Anthony Napolitano in tow, closed for third.
Stewart Nemiro of the Ranger Stable trains Keystone Thomas for Fred Monteleone Stable of Pompano Beach, Florida. The Revenue S-Yankee Taboo gelding, now six years old, earned $112,836 racing exclusively in Florida last year and his lifetime earnings now stand at more than $233,000.
Napolitano Name Returns To Pompano Winner's Circle
It took until the first week of January in the current meet, which began last September 21, but a driver named Napolitano finally made it into the Pompano winner's circle. In the sixth race of January 4 card, 30-year-old Anthony Napolitano piloted trotter Lord Darby to a 1:57.4 front end for his first driving win since returning from his summer base at Pocono Downs.
Anthony's older brother George, also a perennial high percentage reinsman at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing for many years, returns to action at Pompano with six drives scheduled for the Saturday, January 7 card, which also features the possible final career appearance of 2011 Little Brown Jug champ Big Bad John. George Napolitano, 45, had an outstanding year again at Chester Downs and Pocono Downs in 2011 while compiling almost $7 million in driving purses again last year.
(With files from Pompano Park)