Woodmere Ultimate, making his first pari-mutuel start since being claimed last September, lit up the Pompano Park toteboard by pulling off a stunning 28-1 upset in the $12,000 Open Handicap Pace on Saturday.
The four-year-old gelded son of Western Success, driven by Dave Ingraham, was eight lengths out of it around the final turn, but collared the 14-1 outsider B N Bad (Joe Pavia, Jr.) right on the wire to grab his eighth win of the year in 29 starts, sending his lifetime bounty to $117,956 and seasonal earnings to $91,190. The mile was clocked in 1:52.3.
Northern Companion, the 2-1 second choice driven by Rob Hoffman, overcame the handicap of the nine post, paced his final three-quarters of a mile in 1:22.2 and rallied to finish third with the 6-5 favorite Amillionpennies fourth. Freeneasy Hanover picked up the last award.
Trained by Gregory White for owner Lewis Whitaker of Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, Woodmere Ultimate came into the action off of a 1:56 qualifying win and used that ferocious close to nail the victory in the final stride.
“This horse does have some good gate speed, but since it was his first start back and there were others in there that can do the same thing, I certainly wasn’t going to cork him," said Ingraham. "When Joe [Pavia] opened up that long lead, I wasn’t sure we were going to get there...but he sure raced great!”
It was long-shot Rader Detector, who carved out moderate opening panels of :28 and :57, but B N Bad rolled up on the second turn, brushed to the front early on the backstretch and opened up a long lead -- six lengths -- during a :26.3 third quarter and still had a four length lead turning for home, but he got a bit leg weary late and just failed to last.
The winner keyed a $443 Exacta, $2,414.20 Trifecta and an $8,916.20 Superfecta.
The Open 2 Pace went to the only three-year-old in the field, Keemosabe, as that son of Squaws Fella, followed live cover before tilting out wide turning for home to score a convincing win for Bruce Ranger in 1:52.
Trained by Stewart Nemiro for owner Jerry Glantz, Keemosabe won for the 16th time in 22 tries this year, sending his lifetime earnings over the $90,000 mark.
(Pompano Park)