With his recent two-time conqueror Smokin Dabra not entered this week and his expected main rival Pembrook Street making an early break in stride, Keystone Thomas returned to the top of the heap in the Florida's top trotting class
on the Wednesday program at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.
Bruce Ranger seized the moment to blast directly to the front at the quarter in :28 seconds, and when the half flashed up in :58.1, Keystone Thomas had things well in command. In the third quarter, the only mare in the $12,000 purse event, Nasty Secret, was brought first over by Dan Clements and after a backstretch sprint to the final turn in 1:26.1, she rolled into a break. Ranger brought the Revenue S-Keystone Taboo five-year-old gelding to the wire in 1:55.1 over Thro Time, in rein to Andy Santeramo, and Aruba Vacation held third after a pocket trip for Fern Paquet Jr.
Stewart Nemiro of the Ranger Stable trains Keystone Thomas for Pompano Beach owner Fred Monteleone. The trotter has made 28 starts this year, all at the South Florida venue, and he's won 12 of them for a 2011 bankroll of $93,396.
Trainer Chris Marino and driver Ed Hensley teamed up to win three races during the Wednesday program on yet another ideal 78 degree evening in South Florida. Their winners included trotter Lord Burghley in a $5,000 purse conditioned test for owner Howard Jacobs of West Orange, New Jersey, along with claiming pacers Wild Request and One Tough Hombre, owned by Robert Weinstein of Bellmore, New York.
It was the second consecutive program that Hensley reined in three winners.
Management of the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park and the Florida Standardbred Breeders And Owners Association (FSBOA) are teaming up in the spirit of giving for Thursday's (November 24) Thanksgiving holiday celebration.
Licensed grooms and dorm residents of the Pompano backstretch are invited to Thanksgiving dinner in the Isle buffet from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Those wishing to take advantage of this offer must first obtain a ticket from the FSBOA office and then show their track identification upon arrival at the Isle buffet.
A new wager, which is believed to be a first for the continent's harness racing tracks, will debut this Saturday evening (November 26) at Pompano Park. The MEGA 9 will be offered for the first time offering fans the chance to win the minimum $5,000 guaranteed pool for a 10 cent base wager, should their ticket be the only one with the nine race winning combination. If there are no winners, 60 per cent of the pool will be paid to those selecting the most winners and the remaining 40 per cent will go to, or start, a carryover pool to the next live race program.
Also on Saturday night, there's a Pick 4 carryover pool of $2,991 into the fifth race and the trackside party will be accompanied by the popular Miami Food Trucks, which always bring out a large crowd to the tarmac.
Post time is 7:05 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing.
(Pompano Park)