A red-hot performance by trainer-driver Andy Santeramo overshadowed all talk of the week long record heat wave blanketing South Florida on the Saturday evening, October 10 program at The Isle Pompano Park
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With another spectacular weather setting and race time temperature in the upper 80’s (31 C.), Santeramo amassed four wins in the bike with a pair of those from his own training operation.
His big night started in the conclusion of the daily double with trotting gelding Peacelovenjoy, a popular $2.60 winner for owner Bart Pope of Lauderhill, Florida. In the next race Santeramo was right back in the winner’s circle following a pocket trip conversion with Raiders Jirah for a $47.80 win mutuel. That victory provided owner Odell Thompson of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida with his first training tally of the meet.
In the fifth race Santeramo made two handy moves to win with Lewies Lulu from an outside start in the field of seven claiming trotters. He hustled the seven-year-old Armbro Rotary-Rompaway Ocala mare away from the gate and patiently sat just behind the front-end action as Guy Gets Girl with Bruce Ranger and Dee Day Fame with Wally Hennessey took turns on the lead. A three-wide brush in mid-stretch was enough to bag the mare’s seventh win in 19 starts this year for the J.L. Benson Stables of Ft. Lauderdale in 1:56.3.
Santeramo’s final pose in the winner’s circle followed a pocket trip score in the 8th race with Ricks Sign as he parlayed a pocket tour into an upset of hot favourite Spiritual King N with Richard Simard. Ricks Sign is a four-year-old Life Sign-Lasting Flower gelding racing under lease to trainer David Mogan of Coconut Creek, Florida.
Power Park Wins Stretch Sprint
The Saturday night feature at The Isle Pompano Park is the $13,000 purse Open Pace and this week’s tilt for the top class provided another cliff hanger. Cape Karuna with Fern Paquet, Jr. shut down the fractions of :27.3, :57.3 and 1:25.4 and braced for the two-hole challenge of Power Park with Walt Ross, Jr. At the end of the stretch long sprint for the top prize in :27.2 it was Power Park that was just over a neck better than the pace-maker in 1:53.1. Power Park races for the Quebec connections of trainer Jean Beaulieu and co-owners Gilbert Sauve and Jean Mondoux.
The co-feature was the $8,500 purse Open-2 Pace. Hero turned out to be the hero as he easily wired the field in 1:52.4 in rein to Fern Paquet, Jr. Peter Blood conditions the five-year-old Sealed N Delivered-Kristina gelding and shares ownership with Roger Slobody and G.T. Piantkowski. It was the 25th career win for Hero with Doctor Gates in rein to Andy Santeramo and Catman with Richard Simard following under the wire.
Also on the Saturday night card, trainer Michel Plouffe sent out a pair of winners including two-year-old Spy Hard-Cat Lady gelding Three Putt Again for owner Fred Grant and claiming pacer Single Best in rein to Mickey McNichol for owner Elizabeth Zimmerman of Ft. Lauderdale. Three Putt Again was piloted to a fine life’s mark of 1:56.1 by David Ingraham to bring him to within five wins of the 6,000 lifetime plateau.
Now Three Days A Week
Post time at The Isle Pompano Park is 7:05 p.m. The schedule of live racing now expands to three cards per week with Wednesday programs starting on October 14. Monday cards join the agenda on November 2 and racing five nights per week will begin at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing when Tuesday cards commence on December 1.
(Pompano Park)