After a pair of traffic troubled trips and last week's bold first over try, everything finally fell into place for Sfumato to capture the top weekly event in South Florida
. The pacer earned a life's mark in his fourth appearance at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.
With driver Ed Hensley returning to duty after being injured in the Mares Open Pace accident of last Monday, Sfumato left the gate with Dragons Blood, in rein to Mike Micallef, and paced to the quarter in :27-seconds. As the field straightened out to proceed to the half, Hensley had the Real Artist-Silky Satin six-year-old gelding on the move to the lead and put up middle panels of :54.4 and 1:23.3 leading up to an under wraps final clocking of 1:51. Dragons Blood and Hay Goodlooking, with Rick Plano in tow, could not get close to Sfumato as they followed next under the wire.
Chris Marino trains Sfumato for Melissa Guido Stables of Mays Landing. New Jersey. The pacer is having his best career year with over $119,000 on his card in 2011 contributing to his life's bankroll over $246,000.
In the Open-2 Pace for a purse of $8,500, Avantage took advantage of class relief in a dominant 1:52 win with Mickey McNichol in the bike over Wally Hennessey's Tough Trooper and Saulsbrook Fame, driven by Andy Santeramo. Fred Grant trains Avantage for Ft. Lauderdale owner Elizabeth Zimmerman. The five-year-old Electric Stena-Eclatante gelding has racked up eight wins in 40 trips this year for season's earnings of more than $60,000.
The Open-3 Pace carried a purse of $7,300 with Jason Dillander executing a perfect off the pace score in 1:52.4 with Red Star Paylater over Caviart Spencer, in rein to Fern Paquet Jr., and the pacesetting Touch Of Steel, driven by Bruce Ranger. Red Star Paylater, a seven-year-old gelding by Bilateral-Payables, was making his start since being claimed for $12,500 by owner-trainer Robert Dutilly of Pompano Beach.
Saturday evening's Pick 4 returned $5,075, and the minimum $5,000 pool for that wager is guaranteed every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday card as part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program. The nightly MEGA 9 wager also resumes on Monday evening with a $5,000 minimum guaranteed pool if a single winner emerges from the base 10-cent wager. On nights when there is not a single winner, the MEGA 9 returns 60 percent of the pool to those selecting the most winners and 40 percent of the pool goes to the carryover jackpot pool.
Post time is 7:15 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing. Later this month, please be advised there is no live harness racing from December 22 through December 26.
(With files from Pompano Park)