A humid evening with the temperature hovering in the upper 70s (26C.) set the stage for a remarkable track record by three-year-old pacing filly Bombilla Hanover of 1:51.4 in the very first race of the Monday evening at Pompano
Park.
A talented group of fillies and mares was assembled for the conditioned event for a $5,000 purse. First to the front at the quarter in :27.4 was driver David Ingraham with Angela, making her first start since capturing the $64,000 Florida Breeders championship nine days ago. As the field straightened out past that opening marker, Mike Micallef had Bombilla Hanover on the move to take over.
The daughter of The Panderosa-Bet Me Hanover wasted no time to the half in 55.2 and the final turn in 1:23.1, and the pursuit of a track record performance was within her grasp. The wire arrived for the graduate of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes in 1:51.4, eclipsing the former track record category performances of Special Sweetheart (2009, 1:52.1) and Miss Easy (1991, 1:52.2). Angela stoutly held second and Blind To See with Dan Clements in the bike was third.
After a Summer campaign based at The Meadows in the Bill Fahy barn, trainer Peter Blood of Pompano Beach resumed care of the filly for the track record outing and he shares ownership of Bombilla Hanover with Rick Berks of Boca Raton and Lew Whitaker of Boynton Beach. The graduate of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes increased her season's earnings to $61,922 and her career bankroll to just under $80,000.
Also on the Monday evening card the $12,000 Fillies And Mares Open Pace feature turned to the gate. Princessofdarkness was sent down the road in 1:52.1 to equal her life's mark with Wally Hennessey in the bike over Bryans Ideal driven by Dan Clements and Keep On Flirtin with Ed Hensley on board. The winner is a four-year-old daughter of The Panderosa-Mattintosh trained by Jim Mattison for owners Vicki Mattison of Pompano Beach along with Leola and Gil Pochesi. Her season's earnings improved to $53,800 with the win in the top weekly class for distaff pacing mares in South Florida.
(Pompano Park)