The performance by two-year-old pacing filly Black Diamond Girl on Friday evening at The Isle Pompano Park was more than enough to keep her trainer Kim Sears excited the prospects for a run at the six figure bonus offered by the Florida Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association
(FSBOA).
"She's been just a terrific filly to train down and race," the trainer said after the Six Of Diamonds-Money For Muchkin homebred of Penny and William Kelley romped home in her $22,575 division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. "If there was ever a start so far we could've doubted her, this was it. She last raced on October 30 and then came down with a respiratory infection. We had the vet treat her with antibiotics and she was right back on her game tonight. This was just the race she needed since she was able to keep a :28.3 last quarter in reserve and win it unstressed."
The win in 1:58.3 made it six wins in nine starts this year for Black Diamond Girl. Lady Luck Le Ru, also trained by Kim Sears, finished second with Blazing Best and Bruce Ranger third.
In order to win the $100,000 bonus offered by the FSBOA, a rookie performer must sweep the four major State-bred events. These stakes are the Sunshine State, Florida Stallion, Florida Sales and Florida Breeders. According to Rosie Huff of the FSBOA, colt pacer Diamond Howard and trotting filly Pocohontas Fame remain in the running for the 2009 bonus, which will culminate on December 5 when the FSBOA stages the concluding leg with the Florida Breeders Stakes.
The other Friday evening split of the Florida Stallion Stake for State-bred two-year-old fillies featured a sensational first over score in 1:55.4 by Isle Of View Too. The Macadream-Ranelle miss was wheeled first over by Matt Kakaley well before the half and she finally put away the pacemaker, Diamond Chip with Wally Hennessey by mid-stretch. T Js Ellie with Kevin Wallis in tow was third. Isle Of View counted her fifth win in nine starts this year for Ellen Ann and Randy Laffer of Palm Beach, Florida and trainer Tom Audley.
Also on the Friday evening program under a perfect 72 degree setting in South Florida, Bling romped home in the $17,500 late closer Hurricane Stakes. After establishing command in :27, Bruce Ranger rated the Scoot Outa Reach-C The Glory three-year-old filly through markers of :57.2 and 1:25.3, with a :28.1 closer allowing Bling to keep the tight pocket-sitter Goldstar Rosie at bay in 1:53.4. Bling has won six of nine starts this year for trainer Mark Friedman and owner Polo Stables of Boca Raton.
Chapsboots N Spurs got little respect again as she doubled up in the $13,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace. She followed last week's 9-1 upset with a 5-1 tally this week as Wally Hennessey guided the five-year-old Stampede Hanover-Beauty N Beast mare to a head decision over pocket-sitter Alice Springs in rein to Bruce Ranger in 1:53.4. Rio Raider, with Kevin Wallis up, finished third. Since returning to Florida in late September, Chapsboots N Spurs has won the top weekly distaff class four times along with a pair of thirds for trainer Dan Hennessey and owners Shirley and Don Heck of Carmel, Indiana.
Trainer Eric Beach, who has opted out of the Windsor-Michigan circuit this year, lead all conditioners on the Friday night card with two winners. Beach sent out Sign Of The Moment to win an event for three and four-year-old claiming pacers priced at $12,500. He also sent out three-year-old filly Theas Cam to topple a $4,000 purse conditioned group in a life's mark of 1:54.2. Both were driven by Wally Hennessey for owners Sam Lambouris and Exit 67 Stable.
On Saturday evening, a pair of $24,788 splits of the Florida Stallion Stakes go to the gate for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Diamond Howard puts his pursuit of the $100,000 FSBOA bonus on the line in the fifth race. The $13,000 Open Handicap Pace features the return to action of Prime Time Talent after a two week rest. He took a life's mark of 1:51 on October 24 and in the process turned in the fastest mile to date in the 2009 Fall Meet.
(Pompano Park)