The recipe was a calm and humid 77 degree (25 C) for a program of blazing speed at The Isle Pompano Park on Saturday evening, November 21
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The tone for the program was set in the first non-wagering race before the regular card, as two $13,740 divisions of the Florida Standardbred Breeders And Owners Association (FSBOA) Sale Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings went to the gate. Three Putt Again started the night with a blistering 1:53.2 romp in the first division with David Ingraham in the bike.
"That'll get us some respect for Florida Super Night on December 5," said a jubilant owner Fred Grant of his Spy Hard-Cat Lady rookie gelding in the winner's circle live TV interview after the race, which was the fastest win by any State-bred rookie performer this fall in South Florida. "He'd been a hard luck sort in a lot of his trips with finishing second. Though he'd never shown it before, his early speed tonight didn't surprise me and neither did the the mile he went."
Red Hot Howard, in rein to Bruce Ranger closed well for second with Hurricane Howard and Kevin Wallis taking third.
Grant also explained that his association with Three Putt Again's trainer, Michel Plouffe, dates back almost 30 years to when Grant trained a stable in Montreal.
"I broke and trained this colt last winter and spring and didn't hesitate to turn him over to Michel when it was time to race," Grant says. "He's a guy I've trusted and respected for decades. Michel and I have already decided that December 5 will be the final start this year for Three Putt Again."
The second division of the FSBOA Sale Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings featured a dramatic twist as 1:55 winner Cracker Stoney returned to the winner's circle with his right knee boot down around his ankle. In spite of that the Givemewhatineed-Cracker Glory gelding sprinted his final half in :56.2 and last quarter in :27.2 under a line drive.
"I just put new knee boots on him and I guess I didn't tighten that one well enough," said trainer Steve Oliwa in his post-race TV interview. "While we were getting our picture taken [driver] Wally Hennessey explained that he noticed the knee boot was actually down near the first quarter pole. Fortunately it didn't become an issue the rest of the way.
"Gerrie Tucker of Montreal was contacted about this colt's potential and reached in and bought him privately a few starts ago. Depending on how the draw and the race goes, I expect him to be heard from in a big way in the December 5 Super Night Breeders' Stakes," Oliwa added.
Cracker Stoney thus racked up his third win in nine trips this year, with Diamond Howard and Bruce Ranger holding second and Goldstar Patriot D with Matt Kakaley in the bike following in third.
On the Saturday evening regular card that followed six out of 10 winners either tied or improved their lifetime speed marks.
Leading the way was Mai Tai Guy with a huge first-over win in 1:51 to give trainer and driver Rick Schaut a victory in his first start back in Florida after a campaign in Indiana. Schaut co-owns the Towners Big Guy-Elizabeth Street four-year-old pacer with Patricia and Bruce Soulsby of Powell, Ohio. In this $10,000 purse conditioned test, Gotta Go Moe with Ricky Macomber, Jr. set big fractions of :26.2, :54.1 and 1:21.4 before giving way to Mai Tai Guy. Disco Dragon with Fern Paquet, Jr. closed next best for second and Gotta Go Moe persisted for third. The 1:51 clocking tied the fastest mile of the 2009-10 meet to date.
In the $13,000 Open Handicap Pace, new arrival Card Dealer was a pocket trip winner in 1:51.2 in rein to Fern Paquet, Jr. The four-year-old Camluck-Affluence gelding was claimed at Yonkers five weeks ago by the Deal Me In Stable of Pompano Beach and he's now racing from the care of Peter Blood. Prime Time Talent with Wally Hennessey set all the pace and stoutly held second while Four Starz Bling with Ray Vizzi was third.
(Pompano Park)