Bluehourpower, with Ricky Macomber Jr. in the bike, overcame a very difficult first-over journey to score an extremely close victory in Pompano Park's $12,000 Open Handicap Pace on Sunday night at the rain-soaked south Florida oval.
The now-five-year-old gelded son of Sand Shooter stopped the clock in 1:51.2 and the official margin of victory was a nose – and a very slender one, at that – over Arthur Blue Chip, who was driven by Wally Hennessey.
Lyons Johnny finished third, Bandolito finished fourth, and Cadillac Phil finished fifth.
The ‘official’ timer had Bluehourpower and Arthur Blue Chip 1/100th of a second apart at the wire.
Bluehourpower had started from Post 7 and was fourth through the :26.4 opening quarter mile and at the 56-second half-mile pole. He was first-up in second at the 1:23.2 three-quarters pole and utilized a :27.4 final quarter to just get up at the wire.
"My horse is relentless,” Macomber said during a post-race interview. “He keeps grinding and grinding and grinding until he runs out of racetrack. At the wire, Wally and I looked at each other and we kind of hiked out shoulders and said to each other, 'I don't know, do you?'
"Both horses raced very well and very gamely."
Trained by Jamie Macomber for owner Wilbur Eash, Bluehourpower kicked off his new season with his 20th lifetime win, and his share of the purse sent his lifetime bounty to $517,131.
As third choice in the betting, Bluehourpower paid $8.80 to win.
Live racing at Pompano will continues on Monday night with a Super Hi-5 carryover of $5,454.98.
First-race post time is 7:30 p.m.
(With files from Pompano)