Amillionpennies took top honours in Pompano Park’s $10,500 Open 1 Pace on Saturday night.
The seven-year-old gelded son of Million Dollar Cam took command just a step or two out of the gate and went on to wire the field in 1:51 off of evenly rated panels of :27.2, :55.3 and 1:23.2.
Driver-trainer Matt Romano handled the pacer for C&F Associates of Hillsdale, New Jersey.
Special Strides, driven by Rick Plano, rallied into second, three-quarters of a length away, while Keemosabe, with Bruce Ranger in the bike, finished third. Longshot Freeneasy Hanover (Dillander) was fourth while the 11-10 favourite, Northern Companion, finished fifth and not able to sufficiently dent the winner’s final half of :55.2.
“He had a good tightener last week and he does have nice gate speed so I decided to send him," said Romano. "He felt very comfortable the entire mile and I expect him to get even a bit tighter with this race under his belt.
“Bruce’s horse [Keemosabe] seemed a bit anxious behind me on the backside so I let my horse out a notch and he responded like a good horse should.”
For Amillionpennies, it was win number seven in 29 starts this year and lifetime win number 34. He’s banked $471,637 during his career --$88,390 of that in 2012.
Pompano’s Open 2 Pace went to Andrew Sassen’s Ricks Sign, handled by Jason Dillander for trainer Paul Holzman.
This seven-year-old took the lead right at the opening quarter (:27.3) and had no trouble wiring his competition through fractions of :56 and 1:24.1 en route to a win in 1:52.2 -- his second straight triumph after a three month vacation.
“He’s kind of a head case and he always seems to have a way of telling me when he’s tired and needs a rest," said Holzman. "So I try and give him a break and he says ‘thank you’ by coming back very sharp.”
Off of that respite from the racing wars and a Dec. 1 qualifier, Ricks Sign won last week in 1:51.2 before adding his victory on Saturday.
(Pompano Park)