DGs Caviar extended his winning streak at Pompano Park to three on Monday (December 14) with a sharp performance for driver Andy Shetler.
The four-year-old son of Prime Time Caviar hit the wire in 1:53.2, despite the fact he started from the outside six post and was three-wide until reaching the lead three-eighths into the mile.
The winning margin was a measured neck over Explosivebreakaway (Tom Jackson) with Sooo Handsome (Rick Plano) third, 2-1/4 lengths away. Keegan Ho finished fourth while The Lionking AS picked up the nickel in the classy sextet.
After the race, driver-trainer Andy Shetler said, “He sure is a tough customer. This is his favourite track. He just has that will to win and he can dig forward pretty much forever. The night he made that break early, he just seemed to have that attitude that he wasn’t going to give up until the job was done. Tonight, he was just fantastic!”
Bred and owned by Daniel Graber, DGs Caviar won for the fifth time in 20 starts this season vaulting his earnings to $35,430 and $112,325 lifetime. The winning time was just one-fifth of a second off of his 1:53.1 mark over the larger Hoosier Park oval.
Off as second choice at 8-5, DGs Caviar paid $5.40 to win.
The $10,000 Open II Trot went to Born To Thrive, with Rick Plano in his sulky. The seven-year-old gelded son of Swan For All went grinding forward from almost 11 lengths back early to score by 1-1/2 lengths over the pacesetting Bucketlist Hanover, driven by Kevin Wallis. The French bred Beguin Dugoutier, in the garden spot most of the way, finished third while Kellies MVP and Lightfootedlegend were next in the octet.
Bucketlist Hanover, leaving from the coveted five post, took charge immediately off the wings and posted fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.1 with Born To Thrive gnawing away by trotting his final three-quarters in 1:24.2, collaring the leader inside the sixteenth pole and on to the victory -- his sixth of the year in 24 starts.
Plano also trains the brave trotter for owners John Campagnuolo and Maryann Plano, who now has 39 career wins and $409,192 in earnings -- $44,369 this semester.
Off at 2-5 in the wagering, Born To Thrive paid $2.80 to his multitude of followers.
Also of note on the Monday program was the performance of BJ Lorado in the $8,000 conditioned trot. This six year-old son of Bo W got picture perfect handling from Andy Santeramo to score in a lifetime best 1:53.2, knocking a full second off his previous best performance.
Trained by Marc Major for Diane and Michael Norcross, BJ Lorado earned his 24th career victory, sending his lifetime bounty to $168.333.
Off at 10-1, BJ Lorado returned $22.40 to win.
Live harness racing continues on Tuesday night with a $15,000 Guaranteed Pool on the track's popular Pick-4, featuring a 12% takeout, and a Super Hi-5 jackpot which has ballooned to well over $11,000.
Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(Pompano Park)