Under beautiful moonlight skies at Pompano Park on Monday night (Nov. 15), the $10,000 finals of the Sunshine State Stakes were contested for three-year-olds with a wide array of results providing the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
When all the results were official, Ifnotnowwhen, Hey Dont Tell Me, Prairie Sweetness and Prairie Virtue were crowned the champs in their respective classes.
Ifnotnowwhen, handled by Wally Hennessey, took top honours in the non-betting event for sophomore trotting geldings in 2:00.2, getting perfect handling in the garden spot to roll by and score by a length over the late-charging and vastly improved Jo Jo Jet (Dave Ingraham), who closed fastest of all. The early leader, Shulda Hada Drink (Mike Simons) finished third after cutting panels of :30, :59.3 and 1:29.4. Seeking Matthew completed the quartet.
Ifnotnowwhen, a gelded son of Muscle Massive, is trained by Jake Huff for owner Herman Brewer and extended his winning streak to four at Pompano Park in these Sunshine State Stakes. With only four starters, the winner’s share of the purses inflated to $5,500, vaulting his seasonal earnings to $21,472 — more than half of that during the last three weeks.
Hey Dont Tell Me, a gelded son of Tellitlikeitis (and a full brother to Sunday’s Sunshine Stakes winner in the two year-old filly pace Come On Spank Me), driven by Dale Hiteman, put away his arch rival, Theflyingrock around the final turn and went on to score a very handy 5-1/4-length win over Mister David C (Hennessey) with Gold Star Baron (Ingraham) third. Theflyingrock did finish fourth after a tumultuous :26.3 opener. Gold Star Artie picked up the nickel in the sextet.
Purchased by Hiteman for the DTM Stable in early July, Hey Dont Tell Me earned his third straight win in the Sunshine State Stakes to send his 2021 bankroll to $18,992.
After the event, Hiteman related, "We bought the brother-sister combination in early July. I thought they might have some talent but the Indiana scene is full of horses with talent so I really didn't know just what to expect. They both have come along very nicely and the one tonight (Hey Dont Tell Me) has shown that he put it together at both ends of the mile. I'm just hoping that they stay healthy and sound."
As the 3-5 choice, Hey Dont Tell Me paid $3.20 to his multitude of faithful.
The three-year-old Sunshine for the pacing fillies proved the "highs and lows" of racing can "change on a dime."
When all was said and done, Prairie Sweetness, the splendid daughter of Royel Millennium driven by Wally Hennessey, was placed first on a disqualification after having been nosed out in the final stride by Rocks StormyD (Braxten Boyd) with the fastest closing Milleniums Girl (Mike Simons) third after being impeded late in the lane.
When the wings folded, KKs Dream Girl (Corey Braden) was sent charging hard from the eight post to take the lead through a speedy :27.4 opener with Prairie Sweetness away well from her inside post and in the garden spot...but not for long. A few strides after that, Prairie Sweetness was out and reaching the top spot, carving fractions of :57.3 and a picked up 1:26.1 as Dice Dice Baby (Joe Chindano Jr.) put the pressure on around that final bend with Rocks StormyD second-over and within striking distance.
Fanning out turning for home, Prairie Sweetness, Dice Dice Baby, Rocks StormyD and Milleniums Girl were fanned across the track with Rocks StormyD drifting out badly and impeding the progress of Milleniums Girl.
While the photo finish camera found that Rocks StormyD put her lip up on the line first, further video review confirmed the evidence justifying the decision to move Prairie Sweetness to the top spot and Milleniums Girl up a notch to second, as well.
Rocks StormyD was placed third while Dice Dice Baby was Prairie Dutchess picked up the minor awards in the field of nine.
Trained by Mike Deters, who co-owns with Laurie Poulin, Prairie Sweetness saved the 4-5 chalk players from the agony of defeat and rewarded them with a $3.80 mutuel and a $7.40 early Daily Double payoff.
Prairie Sweetness now has an 8-4-3 scorecard in 19 career starts, good for $59,371.
The sophomore event for trotting fillies went to Prairie Virtue, driven by Mike Simons, who was in the bike for trainer Lisa Martin and owners Mary Martin and Laurie Poulin.
This daughter of Shibboleth Hanover used almost identical tactics as in her upset winning performance a week earlier in scoring a 1:59.4 win over the 1-5 betting favourite, Ifnotmewho (Hennessey). The winning margin was a neck with the fastest closing Prairie Trinket (Ingraham) third, just a length away. Ciao Bella was next after sawing through fractions of :29, :59.4 and 1:29.2. Prairie Ginger picked up the nickel in the septet.
Away well from her two post, Prairie Virtue was in garden spot much of the way before remaining relaxed and shuffled a bit until finding a seam turning for home -- knifing through late for the photo finish win. The victory -- her fifth lifetime -- pushed her career bounty to $53,384. She rewarded her backers with an $8 mutuel.
In the $14,200 Open Pace for the fillies and mares, it was the lone filly in the race, Brilliant Beauty, driven by Kevin Wallis, who scored a gate-to-wire win in 1:53.1.
The three-year-old daughter of JK Endofanera, was used hard making the top spot in :26.3 before carding subsequent fractions of :55.3 and 1:24.1 before her :29 finale held off Casies Believer (Chindano) by a half-length. Roll With Angel (Fern Paquet Jr.) was next over Vicious Circle and Gold Star Igotdis in the abbreviated field of five.
Brilliant Beauty is a new arrival in the Tee Wine Stable for the Jemaxpo Racing Stable. She paid $3.60 to win in sending her 2021 earnings to $54,825 on the strength of a 6-3-2 scorecard in 23 starts.
In the $12,600 Open II co-feature for the fillies and mares, Image Of A Dream, handled by Rick Plano, upset the applecart at 7-1 and, for the second straight night, Plano keyed a large Super Hi-5 payoff of $3,298.38 -- this on top of the $18,000 plus payout on Sunday when Hot Art scored the upset win for Plano in the finale.
Racing continues on Tuesday night with Open trotters in action and, in the "better for the bettor" department, Pompano continues to offer a Pick-4 with a $15,000 guaranteed pool and an industry low 12 per cent takeout on that offering. There is also a carryover in the fourth race pentafecta of $1,862. Post time is 7:20 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)