Invader Coco Lindy, making his initial start of the season at Pompano Park and only his second lifetime appearance in 75 starts, took top honours in Pompano Park's $13,500 Open Handicap Trot on Tuesday night.
The seven year-old son of Cantab Hall overcame the outside eight post in a strong $2 million dollar field to edge by a stubborn Its Payday Friday, handled by Dan Clements, to score by a neck in 1:54 for Hall of Fame driver Wally Hennessey.
Adenium finished third for Kevin Wallis, almost four lengths away. Raven Victory finished fourth while Rush N Supreme picked up the final award in the octet.
As the Hummer Starting Gate sprung the field loose, Hennessey sent his trotter winging out of the gate into a quick early lead and rocketed to an opening panel in :27.1. Shortly thereafter, Clements had Its Payday Friday on the engine, taking the lead after 3/8ths of a mile and proceeding to the half in :56.3.
On the backside, Dukester was sent up to apply the tourniquet but could get no closer to Its Payday Friday than a length-and-a-half with Coco Lindy patiently biding his time on the inside as the leader broke the third beam in 1:25.2.
Once they straightened away, Coco Lindy left the coziness of his pocket and began gnawing away at Its Payday Friday's lead, catching that one inside the sixteenth pole and then on to the photo finish victory.
In a post race interview, driver Wally Hennessey said, "I knew coming in that this horse like the front end so I took a chance and sent him, hoping he wouldn't get hung out to dry. Not even one step out of the gate, he was going full speed ahead and gained the lead rather easily. I let him relax during the middle stages and, when we found that room turning for home, he responded like a very good trotter does. You know, he's not heavily raced, but, when he does race, he's usually ready...and he was ready tonight."
Owned by the Lindy Farms along with Robert Rudolph and trained by Frank Antonacci, Coco Lindy won for the seventh time in only 11 starts this year. Lifetime, he has won 29 of his 75 starts, good for $392,180--$34,693 this year.
As the 9-to-2 third choice on the tote-board, Coco Lindy returned $11.20 to win.
Also on the Tuesday card, Pompano Park's Super Hi-5 again had multiple winners, sending the carry-over on Saturday night's card over the $20,000 mark.
Post time for the initial 2015 racing program is 7:30 with Prairie Jaguar looking to repeat his winning 1:50 performance of a week ago against the likes of Lyons Johnny, Thatll Be The Rei, Cadillac Phil, Duc Dorleans and a quartette of others in the featured Open Handicap Pace.
(Pompano)