A conqueror to the supremacy of Keystone Thomas has finally been found in Florida and it's Ontario import Smokin Dabra
. The five-year-old Kadabra-Smokin Rama gelding used a robust two move effort to take down the top prize in the $12,000 purse mid-week Open Handicap Trot on November 9 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.
In the early stages, Fern Paquet Jr. darted to the front with Aruba Vacation in :27.3 and rebuffed an attempted quarter pole move by Smokin Dabra en route to a half time breather of :58.2.
Up the backstretch, Bruce Ranger angled out briefly with Keystone Thomas, but just as quickly went back to the pylons in third position, leaving D Ly Cybele and Mike Micallef first over to the three-quarters in 1:27.
On the final turn there was ample clearance for Smokin Dabra to vacate the pocket and drive off to the win in 1:56.2. Keystone Thomas had a four-race win streak ended, but summoned a stretch move to save the place position. Dusty Diamond was wheeled through traffic to pick up third with Rick Plano in the bike.
Smokin Dabra is being trained in Florida by Noreen Paulin and driven by Norm Dessereault. Owner John Bosworth of Newmarket, Ont. has seen his homebred trotter amass a slate of 2-2-1 in six starts in the Sunshine State since first appearing on October 5, and his 2011 bankroll now stands at more than $75,000.
The Noreen Paulin-Norm Dessereault connections also accounted for a major upset just two races later with trotter Bay Lightning as that four-year-old bested a $5,000 conditioned group when sent off at 11-1. The trainer-driver team completed a trotting triple on the card with Like A Gator, who stepped to a mark of 1:57.3.
There's another new face scheduled to join the Pompano driving colony when racing resumes on Saturday night as Jason Merriman has been named for bike duty in five races on the 13-race card. There's a Pick 4 carryover of $2,664 into Saturday night.
(Pompano Park)