There was a 'blizzard' during the 74 degree evening on Wednesday, December 21 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. Instead of snow, it was the flurry of trotting talent displayed by five-year-old mare Mymomsablizzard in a track record performance
as she earned the distinction of becoming the fastest older trotting mare to tour the Pompano oval in it's entire history dating to 1964.
The daughter of CR Excalibur-Shes A Blizzard took advantage of a class drop into a $7,700 purse conditioned event. With Jason Dillander in the bike, she followed Aruba Vacation to the quarter in :27.4 and then came out to take command of her own destiny through the quarter calls of :57.1 and 1:25.1 en route to the 1:54.1 mile. Aruba Vacation followed for the place prize and Sundowner Bob, with Ricky Macomber Jr., was third.
The 1:54.1 effort was a tick better than the 1:54.2 spin by older trotting mare Three Little Words in 2006. Chris Marino trains Mymomsablizzard for owner Robert Weinstein of Bellmore, New York, and the track record also represented a life's mark for the mare.
The third try back home at his winter base in Florida proved to be the charm as Master Solutions turned in a life's record performance to win the $12,000 purse Open Handicap Trot also on the Wednesday card.
It was no easy feat as Master Solutions had to race uncovered on the outside for more than the final half-mile before finally wearing down the meet's standout, Keystone Thomas, in rein to Bruce Ranger, less than 20 yards before the wire.
Keystone Thomas was ordered to start on the outside in the field of nine and was carried past the quarter by Jaavos Boy and David Ingraham in :27.1, and proceeded to rate the half in :57-seconds. In the backstretch the final time, Master Solutions continued the long first over grind, which began before the half for driver Ricky Macomber Jr., and the battle intensified to the final turn in 1:25.4.
Master Solutions, a Master Lavec-Hustlindia six-year-old gelding, duelled down the stretch with Keystone Thomas before finally edging by late to stop the clock in a life's best time of 1:54.2. Dick Macomber trains the 21-time career winner of $138,675 for Mary Jo Rheinheimer of La Grange, Indiana.
The wealth of trotting talent usually witnessed on Wednesday evening in South Florida saw the Open Handicap class take a back seat a second time over to future rivals racing later on the card. In a conditioned event for a $5,700 purse, Pembrook Street overwhelmed his rivals with a front end 1:53.2 score in rein to trainer Joe Pavia Jr. The Duke Of York-Shipps Cruise five-year-old gelding is completing an outstanding campaign, as this was his 11th win in 23 starts in 2011 for earnings of just over $111,000. The win time was three-fifths of a second from the track record established on February 23, 2011 by Southwind Vavoom at 1:52.4. Ownership of Pembrook Street is shared by BJR Stables of Boca Raton, Florida along with Peter and Wai Shank of Cazenovia, New York.
Pompano has now entered a five day holiday season break in the live action. A double draw will be conducted on Thursday, December 22 for the December 27 and 28 programs. On New Year's Eve a huge gala is planned including a fireworks show, the Miami Gourmet Food Trucks a trackside deejay party, and free race programs. The December 31 card is also expected to feature an appearance by 2011 Little Brown Jug winner Big Bad John, and Dan Noble's quest for the year's driving dash title honours will also finish at Pompano on New Year's Eve. A decision is pending from Tim Tetrick on whether he'll also drive in South Florida on the December 31 program.
(Pompano Park)