Dees Rocketman, confidently driven by Andy Santeramo, took top honours in Pompano Park's $11,000 Open Pace on Sunday (Feb. 18), pinning a 1:50.4 defeat on Hollywood Sign A.
The six-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven scored by a length and a quarter after a first-up backside bid grinding forward from third to take command turning for home.
It was Fritzie Pic Up Man who left with alacrity from his inside post to clip off an opening panel in a hot :26.4, with the Aussie-bred Hollywood Sign also on the engine off the wings to find a comfortable spot in the garden seat and Dees Rocketman sitting chilly in third.
With a half in :55, the pace began to heat up again on the backside as Santeramo sent Dees Rocketman charging hard and engaging in war with the leader through an official third panel in :27.3—his was :27 flat.
Turning for home, Dees Rocketman forged to the lead and never relented as his :28 final quarter sealed the deal.
In a post-race interview, Santeramo said, "I had a couple of wins with this horse recently, and Mickey (trainer McNichol) asked me to handle him again since he had another one in there (Sing For Me George). I have to give Mickey a lot of credit because he had this horse ready to race. He's not afraid to take some air, so the first-up bid on the backside was not a concern to me at all. He's as game as they come and gives his all every start."
When asked if the 1:50.4 mile was his fastest ever, Santeramo quipped, "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't really know because I don't keep track of that sort of thing. To tell you a lie, I think I had one go in (1):46 or (1):47 once!"
Dees Rocketman now has four wins in six starts this young season with earnings of $17,525 for owner Joseph Martinelli, Sr. Lifetime, Dees Rocketman has won 15 times to go along with his brand new mark of 1:50.4 on this night.
Off as the second choice at 8-5, Dees Rocketman paid $5.20 to win.
In the $10,000 Open 2 Pace, The Onlyest One, driven by George Napolitano, Jr., won a hard-fought duel with Lyons Johnny, driven by John MacDonald, to score in 1:51.1 by a wire-to-wire margin of 1-3/4 lengths off of sizzling splits of :26.4, :54.3 and 1:23.
The Onlyest One, a nine-year-old gelded son of Bettors Delight, sent his 2018 scorecard to 3-3-0 in six starts, good for $22,000. The win was a milestone of sorts as this was the 25th win of his career measuring 158 starts.
Joe Pavia, Jr. trains the winner for John Whitig, Michael Rich, and Lawrence Chimerine, who now has lifetime bounty of $267,790.
As second choice in the betting at 7-2, The Onlyest One paid $9.00 to win.
Also on the Sunday card, driver Joe Sanzeri celebrated his birthday with one of Pompano Park's historical favourites, Northern Companion.
Sanzeri found a seam turning for home and mowed his competitors down with a late surge to score in 1:54.1. It was the first win of the year for the 10-year-old altered son of Cambest and 52nd win lifetime—42 of which have been at Pompano Park. His lifetime earnings are now $337,038.
Trained by Howard Klohr for the Delray Duo, Northern Companion, despite beginning from the rail, went off as the longest proposition on the board at 26-1 and paid $55.20 to his remaining faithful.
Racing continues on Monday night (Feb. 19) with a very competitive card offering a Pick 6 holdover and a season high carryover in the Super Hi-5 vaulting to a season high $220,368. Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(Pompano Park)