One of the most familiar faces in the driving colony at The Isle Pompano Park for more than 20 years, Kevin Wallis, will make his debut for the 2009-2010 campaign at the Winter Capital Of Harness Racing on the Saturday evening program of November 7
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"I don't know where the years have gone but we've been here 22 years now," says Linda Wallis, Kevin's wife and the trainer of their stable. "I was ready to come down about a month ago but things were going well for us in Ontario so we stayed there close to a month longer than usual," Linda adds. "We're really glad to get back to Florida and the seven horses we shipped down just arrived on Friday."
To date in 2009, Linda Wallis has harnessed 175 starters with 50 of those returning as winners for almost a quarter of a million dollars in purses and a lofty UTRS of .424.
The yellow and blue colours of Kevin Wallis will be seen for the first time this meet on Saturday night in the sixth race. He's been hired by the Michile and Rod Lorenzo Stable to pilot 5-2 morning line choice Touch Of Steel from Post 3 in the $7,500 Open-3 Pace. Wallis, 53, grew up in Granton, Ontario near London and campaigned for the past five months in Southern Ontario and at Hazel Park from a home base at Maidstone, Ont. just outside Windsor. He returns to Florida this year with a major milestone in sight as he stands at 8,909 lifetime winning drives for more than $40 million in purses. Wallis is a past inductee into The Isle Pompano Park's Wall Of Fame by the Florida Chapter of the United States Harness Writers' Association.
Upset In Mares Open Friday Night
Chapsboots N Spurs rode a perfect pocket trip to victory in the $13,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace on the Friday evening program in South Florida. Surprisingly, she was overlooked to the tune of 9-1 and Wally Hennessey made no mistake when leaving the drafting position in the stretch to score in 1:53.1. The five-year-old Stampede Hanover-Beauty N Beast mare is trained by Dan Hennessey for Indiana owners Shirley and Don Heck. The pacesetter, Alice Springs in rein to Bruce Ranger persisted for second. Heavily favoured Lucy Lucy with Matt Kakaley in tow was positioned second over with stalled cover and had to settle for third this week.
In the $13,000 Open Handicap Trot Battleshoe Victor was the handiest kind of winner in rein to Bruce Ranger with an overpowering front end score in 1:55.2. It was the third straight win for the seven-year-old Valley Victor-B Crysta gelding in the top weekly trotting class at The Isle Pompano Park for owner Michael Polansky of New York and trainer Tom Harmer. Colies with Wally Hennessey up finished second after a pocket trip and Gale Warning in rein to Tom Sells was third. Ranger widened his lead atop the drivers' standings with a four win performance on Friday night.
(Pompano Park)