Ricky Macomber Jr. made a triumphant return to the races on Sunday night by guiding Bluehourpower to a photo finish victory in 1:50.3 in Pompano Park’s $11,000 Open Handicap Pace.
The 45-year-old Macomber, out of action since late October after undergoing surgery, guided Wilber Eash’s four-year-old son of Sand Shooter to a neck victory over Dont Tell Rusty, driven by Ed Hensley. Cadillac Phil, making his Pompano Park debut after a five-week hiatus from the racing wars, finished third, one and a quarter length away, for Matt Romano with K Rock fourth. Next Thing Smoken picked up the minors in the sextet.
This event turned out to be Pompano Park’s version of this year’s Little Brown Jug as an intense battle developed from the get-go as K Rock and Dont Tell Rusty battled for supremacy through an opening quarter in a hot :26.3 with “Rusty” finally taking charge and guiding the field halfway through the mile in :54.3.
On the backstretch, Macomber tipped Bluehourpower to the outside from fifth and made a bold first up bid to reach the leader past the third station in 1:23.
Once they straightened away, Dont Tell Rusty appeared to put Bluehourpower away, opening up a length advantage at mid-stretch, but Bluehourpower put in his version of the “Wiggle It Jiggleit” Little Brown Jug rally and kept digging, thrusting his neck in front right at the wire.
After the race, the soft spoken Macomber said, “That was pretty amazing. He’s a very game horse that tries every step when asked. And, believe me, I asked him for all he had in the stretch...and he gave it to me! I really thought I was beat when we straightened away.”
Trained by Jamie Macomber, Bluehourpower won for the eighth time this season to push his seasonal bounty to $85,607 to go along with his 1:50.2 mark set just last week. Bluehourpower now has banked $508,256 during his three seasons on the racetrack.
Off as the 2-5 favourite, Bluehourpower paid $2.80 to win.
About 19 minutes later, Macomber was in the winner’s circle again after guiding Long Term, a five-year-old son of Jennas Beach Boy he owns with James Stonecipher, to a 1:52.4 victory in the $10,000 opening leg of the Powerline Late Closing event for claiming pacers.
In an “all-out war to the wire,” Long Term came from dead last halfway through to snare the victory in 1:52.4. The winning margin was a neck over Lifeimitatesart (Gilles Barrieau) with the pacesetting J M Jet Set (Wally Hennessey) just a nose further back in third. Lyons Josephjnr finished fourth while Histoire Eternelle was fifth in an event where the first eight finishers were covered by a two and three-quarter length blanket.
Once again, Jamie Macomber trained the winner, now with four successes this semester and earnings of $28,235. This was the biggest “score” in the pacer's career — the winner’s share being $5,000 -- now with $72,493 in lifetime bounty covering 80 starts.
As fifth choice in the wagering pool, Long Term paid $18.80 to win and keyed a 20 cent pentafecta payoff of $4,933.28 for the winning 6-9-7-1-10 combination.
Racing Secretary Greg DeFrank put together the first event in several years for $30,000 claiming pacers and that $10,000 event went to Dan McCartney’s KRs Power Surge, driven by Dave Ingraham in 1:52. The winning margin was a half-length over Glammit (Joe Pavia Jr.) with Thebestofjoel (Tim Maier) third, a length away. Favoured Johnny Grippa was fourth after cutting the mustard through panels of :26.2, :54.3 and 1:23.3. Winyard Hanover, last in the octet turning for home, finished fifth.
The winner, a five-year-old son of Village Jolt, was away sixth before tilting out into the second turn and making a first over move on the backside, reaching the leader’s side around the final turn. In the lane, KRs Power Surge forced Johnny Grippa into submission and then held Glammit, finding a seam late, at bay at the wire.
KRs Power surge, enjoying his best season of his career, won for the ninth time in 2015, sending his seasonal earnings to $89,899 and lifetime bankroll to $134,295.
Off at 5-1, KRs Power Surge rewarded his faithful with a $12.40 mutuel.
Pompano Park’s Pick 5 went unscathed on Sunday night and now has a $10,000 guarantee for Monday night’s card — the carryover being $2,522. Post time for the Monday night 12 race program is 7:30 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)