He needed the entire racetrack to win the photo, but 55-year-old trainer Dave McGinnis of St. George Brant, Ontario won with his first starter at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park on Saturday night
.
Vroom Hanover, a four-year-old gelding by I Am A Fool-Vassar Hanover, flew home from a third over trip to topple a $5,000 purse conditioned group in 1:54 to follow up the 1:52.2 life's mark he took at Woodbine Racetrack on November 7.
It also marked the first win of the meet for Doug Brown as the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame inductee begins his second full winter of driving and training in The Sunshine State. Vroom Hanover is owned by Eleanor Steinberg of North York, Ont. and Cully McGinnis of St. George Brant, Ont.
The Saturday evening edition of the $12,000 purse Open Handicap Pace in South Florida was reduced to a field of five due to the scratches of Dartagnan and B N Bad, but that didn't stop Ricks Sign from turning in a life's mark performance of 1:50.3.
With Fern Paquet Jr. returning to race bike duty for the six-year-old Life Sign-Lasting Flower K gelding, Ricks Sign was parked to the quarter by Dragons Blood and Mike Micallef in :27.1 and they wasted no time to the half in :54.4. In the final half, Sfumato came with a first over rush to the final turn in 1:23 for driver Ed Hensley. Ricks Sign was up to the challenge with a :27.3 kicker in reserve as Dragons Blood moved up from the pocket for the place prize over Sfumato.
Ricks Sign was a terror in Michigan earlier this year in the top classes at Hazel Park and Northville Downs. He's racked up 13 wins in 36 starts this year and he's in the midst of his best career season with $98,573 banked in 2011. Paul Holzman does the training for owner Andrew Sassen of Hillsboro Beach, Florida.
A winner's circle ceremony was held following the fourth race of the Saturday evening program to honour the memory of horseman Bill Nelson, a popular member of the Pompano backstretch, who passed away in April of this year just before his 74th birthday.
Nelson moved from Iowa to Pompano Beach in 1954 and five years later started a roof painting company, which still operates today. When the track opened in 1964, he started an involvement with harness racing, which would last for the rest of his life as he and wife Heddy would stable 15 to 20 horses with their daughters Cindy (Nelson) Evans and Sandy (Nelson) Hollon as he earned the nickname "King Of The Claimers." Last spring, just before his passing, Bill Nelson was honoured by the Florida Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association with the R.D. Ricketts Award for owners making significant contributions to Florida harness racing.
Friends and family of the late Bill Nelson travelled from as far away as Costa Rica to take part in the tribute. They offered anecdotes and memories of his best horse, Quaker Hall, a winner of 13 straight races, and his fastest and favourite horse, Big Bad Bud.
Pompano rolled out it's new MEGA 9 wager for the first time to the public on the Saturday program, offering patrons the chance to win a minimum $5,000 guaranteed pool for a base .10 cent wager. The first night's payout was $13.46 for those selecting seven of nine, and the $5,000 guaranteed minimum pool on the MEGA 9 will be offered again on Monday evening and every race night through the mandatory payout night of May 5, 2012.
"So far as we know it's a precedent setting wagering product for the harness racing industry and the input is definitely positive from our guests and customers on the introduction of the MEGA 9," said John Yinger, the track's Racing Operations Director. "As the public, our staff, and our simulcast partners get more used to it, we absolutely expect to see it grow for the interest in the building jackpot and the generous payouts, even for the nightly consolation, for just a .10 cent base wager."
Another new initiative commences on Monday evening, November 28. Pompano's nightly Pick 4 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will have a $5,000 guaranteed pool as the wager joins forces with The United States Trotting Association Strategic Wagering Program. Free online program pages for the Pick 4 will be offered in the 'handicapping' tab at www.ustrotting.com.
Post time is 7:05 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and at 7:15 p.m. Eastern every Saturday at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing
(Pompano Park)