Pompano Park hosted four F.S.B.O.A.-sponsored Melvyn Aylor Memorial events for two-year-olds with Gold Star Brianna, Rexamillion and Prairie Sweetheart taking the three non-wagering events and Gleneagles annexing the event on the pari-mutuel program.
Gold Star Briana took the Aylor for the trotting fillies in 1:58.4. Wally Hennessey guided the daughter of Basil to a four and a half length victory over the pacesetting Trotting Missmissy (Donald Dupont), who cut serious panels of :28.3, :57.4 and 1:27.4 before succumbing to the winner turning for home. Trottine Fool (Walter Ross Jr.) was third, 26-1/2 lengths away, while Mitzie and All Star Fame were next in the quintet, the latter doomed by a miscue at the start.
Trained by Dan Hennessey for owner Kevin Kelly, Gold Star Briana has an unblemished record — six-for-six — thus far in her career, good for earnings of $34,638.
Rexamillion, a gelded son of Proud Bushy owned by Richard Dunmire along with Jay and trainer Kim Sears, was a wire-to-wire winner for Bob Roberts, leading every step of the mile off of panels of :31.2, 1:01.2 and 1:31.2 before stopping the tele-timer in 2:01.4 for his fourth straight win. His winning margin was two and a quarter lengths over Trottime Splendor (Wally Hennessey), with Fifty Fifty Ninety (Jason Mac Dougall) next. Savin Rock finished fourth while Proud Joe T was fifth.
Rexamillion now sports a 4-1-1 scorecard in six lifetime starts with earnings of $31,831.
The final non-wagering Aylor Memorial for pacing fillies went to Prairie Sweetheart for trainer driver Mike Deters, who co-owns along with John Spindler and Laurie Poulin. This daughter of Royal Millennium, now undefeated in six lifetime starts, covered her mile in a lifetime-best 1:53.3, pinning yet another defeat on another daughter of Royal Millennium, Caitlins Romance (Rick Plano), with Gold Star Love Bug (Walter Ross Jr.) next. Diamond Lily was fourth and Gold Star Mysti was fifth in the sextet of youngsters.
Prairie Sweetheart now boasts earnings of $35,974. With the victory, driver Mike Deters improved on his lofty .889 UDRS coming in — that figure now approaching .900 based on a 13-4-0 record in 17 drives this fall semester.
After the race, Deters had nothing but praise for his filly saying, “She’s been well within herself every start — even tonight with that 1:53.3 mile. I’m kinda blessed to have a filly like this in the barn. But let’s not take anything away from [trainer Bob Barker's] filly [Caitlins Romance]. She’s a very excellent filly, as well.”
Caitlins Romance has chased Prairie Sweetheart home in five straight events.
The final Melvyn Aylor Memorial event was held on the betting card and, for the second straight week, Gleneagles, with Wally Hennessey in the bike, eked out a narrow photo finish win over arch rival Conmans Dream (Jason MacDougall) — this time in 1:54.3, a new lifetime mark. This son of Mysticism, trained by Jim McDonald for the Pinhook Stable, zipped out of the gate from the outside seven post and carded panels of :27.4, :58.1 and 1:26.3 before using a :28 finale to hold off Conmans Dream — barely — the official margin a head. R Chism (Ed Hensley) was third while ICU Diamond T was fourth. Trottime Diamonds picked up the final award in the field of seven.
Gleneagles now has a 5-1-2 scorecard in 10 starts with earnings of $45,048. As the 1-5 toteboard favourite, Gleneagles paid $2.60 to win.
Many of these same combatants will be in action as the F.S.B.O.A. presents Super Night at Pompano Park next Sunday night.
Also on Sunday night, the $10,000 Open Handicap Pace was contested with Bandolito making his South Florida debut a winning one for Kevin Wallis, who was in the bike for owner/trainer Jenny Bier. This outstanding five-year-old son of Ponder earned his 10th win of the year in near gate-to-wire fashion, stopping the clock in 1:51.4.
Starting from the outside post seven, Bandolito looped his way into the lead midway around the initial turn and carded fractions of :26.3, :55.2 and 1:23.3 before reporting home a winner by an unthreatened one and a quarter lengths over Duc Dorleans (Donald Dupont), with Play It Again Sam (Dan Clements) just another nose back in third. Lyons Johnny, bottled up in the lane with nowhere to go, finished fourth while Next Thing Smoken closed to pick up the final award in the septet.
The win was the 24th lifetime for Bandolito in 57 starts, sending his career bounty to $423,110 -- $141,275 of that this year. As the even-money toteboard favourite, Bandolito paid $4.20 to his many followers.
The Florida Amateur Driving Club held two events on the Sunday night program with Celtic Merchant and Good Friend winding up in the winner’s circle.
Celtic Merchant, the 12-year-old warrior with 40 lifetime wins and $343,250 in bounty coming into the action, made it 41 with a gate-to-wire win in 1:58.2 for Mitch “Sky” Walker, by far his seasonal-best time. This 4-5 choice cut fractions of :27.3, :56.1 and 1:26 before finishing three lengths clear of the 77-1 shot Starbux Eden (Jeff Schaefer), with Tymal Recap (Billy Muggleston) next. Celtic Merchant is owned and trained by Steve Oldford. He paid $3.80 to win.
Good Friend, with owner/trainer Tony Dinges in the bike, took top honours in the fourth race Pentafecta event, covering his mile in 1:59.3 and paying $15.00 to his faithful. The win was the nine-year-old’s first success of the season and broke a dry spell of 29 races dating back to his last trip to the winner’s circle on November 19 of last year at Dayton. The win sent his lifetime bounty to $342,750. Rel Cash Clown (Sky Walker) finished second while Lukie Duke (Jamie Marra) finished third. Good Feeling and Vari Forgetful were next -- significant because not one single ticket was sold on the 1-4-5-10-3 Pentafecta necessitating a carryover into Monday night’s fourth race Pentafecta of $2,785 and a guaranteed pool of $7,500.
(With files from Pompano Park)