The co-winners Alarming Quick and Andover America raced a mile and couldn't be separated at the wire in the $15,000 Open-1 Trot at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park on Saturday evening, February 27
.
Andover America, with Bruce Ranger in tow, was sent off as the race favourite as he attempted to follow up a life's mark of 1:55 last week. Ranger had the Andover Hall-Armbro Array five-year-old gelding moving to the lead after the first quarter of :27.3 was posted by Talk About Me in rein to George Napolitano Jr.
Andover America proceeded to the half in :57.4 over the track dulled by late afternoon rain, and to the third marker in 1:26.2 when pressured by the rapidly improving four-year-old mare Alarming Quick, with David Ingraham aboard.
Turning for home it appeared Andover America was home free, but Alarming Quick summoned one more surge. The photo finish camera could not separate the pair at the wire in 1:55.3. Hot Shot Blue Chip, with Steve Condren in the bike, brushed up late from third over to salvage the show position.
"Alarming Quick is a mare we really hadn't planned on going this much with so early on in the year," trainer Peter Pellegrino said of the four-year-old daughter of Branded-Store Alarm. "We don't train her up at all, we just put some jogging miles into her each week and do everything possible to keep her happy. We're just thrilled she could move up to the top class and come right back to the 1:55.3 life's mark she took last week," Pellegrino added.
Alarming Quick has license to keep on going. She's now won 17 of 32 lifetime starts for owner Charles Lewis of Westmoreland, New York. Andover America races for McTrade Enterprises of Davie, Florida, and he's come back for five win pictures in just nine starts to date in 2010.
Also on the 16-race doubleheader performance on Saturday night at the Isle, Im In Luck swept from last to first in the $12,000 purse Open-2 Handicap Pace. Cammabis, in rein to Anthony Napolitano, was assigned the outside post in the field of six starters but was parked far past the front quarter of :26.2. After the half in :55, Cammabis had to pick up a stern first over challenge from Arizona Helen, with George Napolitano Jr., to the final turn in 1:23.3. In late stretch, Arizona Helen surged to the lead only to be picked off in the closing strides as Matt Kakaley rallied Im Luck past the field in the stretch to stop the clock in 1:53.1. Arizona Helen gamely stayed for the runner-up share with Anescape N, in rein to Ricky Macomber Jr., rushing up for third.
Including the dead heat score with Andover America, Bruce Ranger topped all drivers on Saturday night in South Florida with five wins. Starters from the care of trainer Peter Blood had a big night as well, as three of his charges returned with wins including Open-3 Pace winner Cape Karuna and conditioned race pacers Kevlar Hanover and Midnight Lawyer.
The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing has just under three months remaining in the 2009-2010 schedule, and live action for the month of March convenes on Monday evening at 7:05 p.m. EST.
(Pompano Park)