Cartoonist upset the applecart in Pompano Park's top Open Pace on Saturday night while the Mike Deters Stable grabbed the spotlight in three of the four $12,000 finals of the Sunshine State Stakes for Florida-breds.
Cartoonist, the slick four-year-old son of Modern Art, trained by Jim McDonald for the S S G Stables, got a picture perfect drive from Bruce Ranger to score in 1:51.3, a lifetime-best clocking.
Garnering his 11th career win -- all at Pompano Park -- Cartoonist left alertly before snuggling in behind the highly regarded Fancyfreeshark, driven by Mike Micallef, as the latter clicked off panels of :27.2, :56 and 1:24.
Turning for home, Cartoonist left the cozy pocket, took command a few strides into the lane and held off the tenacious late surge of Northern Companion and driver Dan Clements to score by a neck. Fancyfreeshark did finish third. Freeneasy Hanover finished fourth while Ts Electric, pacing the fastest panel of the group but unable to pass a horse in the lane, picked up the "nickel."
Cartoonist won for the sixth time this year and his share of the $9,500 purse pushed his career bounty to 76,230 -- $49,300 of that this season.
In a post race interview, Ranger said that, "he raced super tonight. Of course, it helped that that other monster [Prairie Jaguar] wasn't in there...but let's just say that Cartoonist was a 'willing participant' this time around."
As third choice in the betting, Cartoonist paid $19.40 to win.
While the Deters Stable was disappointed that Prairie Jaguar was on the sidelines this night, their "grief" soon turned to "glee."
Four $12,000 Sunshine State Stakes Finals were also held on the card with the Mike Deters Stable annexing three of these events with Tough Issue, Owosso Flash and Prairie Fortune and Geronimo Fame capturing the other.
The first Deters Stable success was with Tough Issue, owned by the Verderame Stable along with Brenda Komers, in the first of three non-wagering affairs.
This altered three-year-old son of Tough Sir had been chasing Gold Star Kenny P home in the first three Sunshine State Stakes preps but the tables were turned this time around with Bruce Ranger in the bike.
Tough Issue led at every pole, carving put panels of :27.2, :57.4 and 1:27.3 before sprinting home in :28.2 to see the five length win over Gold Star Kenny P (Mickey McNichol) with Warlock and Bob Roberts teaming up for third in the trio.
Tough Issue, last year's Super Night Champion, earned just his second win of the year in 16 starts to send his yearly bounty to $17,506 and a shade over $73,000 lifetime.
Deters, himself, was in the bike for the winning wire-to-wire score in 1:58 with Owosso Flash, a juvenile son of Royal Millennium.
Owned by Laurie Lee Poulin along with Deters, Owosso Flash lolly-gagged over to the half in 1:01.1 and vaulted home in :56.4 to score an oh-so-easy win measuring three and a quarter lengths over Gold Star Roger (Walter Ross Jr.) and Drake (Bob Roberts). Dustin and Stutz also picked up awards in the sextet.
The still "green" two-year-old was making only his third lifetime start and stopped the timer in a lifetime-best effort.
Deters third win was on the betting card with Prairie Fortune, also owned by Poulin and Deters.
With Mike, once again, in the bike, this two-year-old daughter of Arapa Victory made a huge brush beginning just short of the opening quarter and rolled up to take the lead half way through the mile before striding home confidently in front by three and a quarter lengths in a lifetime-best performance of 1:59 (:29).
She's now one-for-two lifetime.
In a post race interview, Deters said, "She's got speed and it might have been my fault that she made that miscue in her last start. This time, I decided I'd let her settle down a bit and give her a chance to do things on her own terms."
Railee Workable, the favourite with Mickey McNichol in the bike, was second while RJs Iron Man, handled by Bob Williams Jr., was next. Victory Park finished fourth while Harrison, though "distanced," earned the final award in the field of nine.
Prairie Fortune, second choice on the board, paid $7.00 to win.
The other division -- off the card -- went to Amante Stables' Geronimo Fame, driven by Bruce Ranger. This "famously" bred colt -- yes, he is by "Famously," wired his other three foes with panels of :28.4, :59.4 and 1:29.1 before turning on the after-burners and romping home in :28.4 to pin a four length defeat on last year's Super Night champion, Showing Off (Bob Roberts). Midnight Michael (Rob Hoffman) finished third while Gator On Patrol finished fourth and last.
The win -- Geronimo Fame's ninth lifetime -- sent his earnings to $56,323.
With the remaining Monday's in October moved to the April 2015 calendar, racing continues next Wednesday with a 7:30 p.m. post time.
(Pompano Park)