Prairie Fortune and driver John Mac Donald took top honours in Monday’s $10,000 Open Handicap Trot at Pompano Park wearing down a very stubborn arch-rival Boli in 1:55.2.
As the wings folded, Seeking Steven and Shes All In both showed early speed with Boli (Wally Hennessey), beginning from the outside post six, on the prowl as well.
At the timer popped up with a :28 opening panel, Boli had wrestled the lead away from Shes All In with Seeking Steven third, DC Flashback fourth, Explosive Muscles next and Prairie Fortune the “caboose,” seven lengths off the lead but on the move around the second turn and reaching fourth with Boli notching a half time of :57.2.
On the backside, Prairie Fortune kept grinding forward, eventually reaching the saddle pad of Boli once they reached the third station in 1:26. In the lane, the two arch-rivals battled with Prairie Fortune taking command a sixteenth out and drawing clear at the line.
Explosive Muscles (Dave Ingraham) rallied for third while DC Flashback trotted the fastest final panel of all to finish fourth. Shes All In, prominent throughout in the garden spot, wound up picking up the nickel in the sextet, separated by less than three lengths at the line.
“This was a bit easier trip than his last race when I had to use him leaving a bit and then going first up on the backside,” said driver John Mac Donald. “This week, since there seemed to be a bit of early speed in the race, I let him relax early because he can grind forward an awful long way.
“He just seems to put in a good performance week after week after week. Tonight he put in what I call a stellar performance.”
Owned by Laurie Poulin along with trainer Mike Deters, Prairie Fortune, a four-year-old son of Arapa Victory, won for the 10th time this year in 24 starts, good for $76,165. Lifetime, the Florida bred has 25 wins in 46 career starts with a bankroll of $189,445.
Prairie Fortune returned $3.60 to win.
In other Pompano Park news, when Kegler Hanover took the fifth race for Dave Ingraham at 20-1, the Pick-5 was left un-scathed and the Tuesday night Pick-5 has a carryover of $1,800 and a guaranteed pool of $7,500.
First post is set for 7:20 p.m.
(Pompano Park)