Indigo Artist and Tyrone Showstopper took top honours in the finals of their respective late-closing series at Pompano Park on Tuesday night (February 3), while Fox Valley Griffin took the race-off of the Pop-Up Series. Also, Pompano Park's Super Hi-5 carryover pierced the $100,000 mark for the first time in track history.
Indigo Artist, driven by Ed Hensley, squeaked by a very stubborn Son Day, handled by Kevin Wallis, to take the $11,500 final of the Better Late Than Never late-closing series in a lifetime best 1:53.3. Big Better Best, with Bruce Ranger handling the lines, used a late rally to get the show honours, while Directly Related and Smithers picked up the minors in the field of nine.
It was Son Day and Smithers that were away alertly at the word ‘go,’ with Son Day on the bullet train taking the field to the quarter in :27 and to the half in a hot :54.2.
Indigo Artist, meanwhile, had shown some gate speed nestling into fourth early, and was content to stay right there until straightening away on the backside.
Grinding forward, ‘Indigo’ reached third at the third station (1:24) and kept gnawing away at the leader until eking by in the final couple of strides.
In a post-race interview, driver Ed Hensley joked, "Now that was a professional drive! Actually, Rod (trainer Grady) has him sharp so I left my horse hoping to get in there a little closer. They were going some so I decided to wait to the backside to move him again. Everything worked out fine."
Trained by Rod Grady for owner Percy Jones, this six-year-old son of Arturo now is three-for-four in 2015, good for $11,885, almost double what he earned all of last year.
As the 6-5 post time favourite, Indigo Artist paid $4.60 to win.
Tyrone Showstopper, off as the third choice at 6-1, wired his competition for Kevin Wallis in the $11,500 final of the ‘Fair Start’ late-closing series, pinning a convincing two and a quarter-length defeat on the 3-5 post time favourite Kabu, handled by Jason Dillander, with Insider Access, teaming up with Aaron Byron, third. Nomad finished fourth and Gray N Cloudy finished fifth in the nine-horse affair.
The six-year-old son Duke Of York, trained by Norm Dessureault for owner Denis Goyette, clocked fractions of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:25.4 en route to a lifetime best performance of 1:55.4.
After the race, driver Kevin Wallis said, "I believe he likes the front end...after all, the last time he won was on the front so I decided to send him and he raced exceptionally well tonight."
Earning his first success of the year, Tyrone Showstopper, who had banked only $720 in three previous starts this semester, sent his $6,470. He paid $15.40 to his faithful.
The Pop-Up Series Race-Off final went, as expected to Fox Valley Griffin, driven by owner-trainer Joe Sanzeri. The seven-year-old son of Sportsmaster, just missing the winner's circle last week when his rally fell a head short, left no doubt this time around by zipping out of the gate and carding panels of :28, :56.2 and 1:25 en route to a victory measuring two lengths over Make You Famous, driven by Bruce Ranger. Wake, with Aaron Byron, finished third while No Shenanigans and Dynamic Rayzer picked up awards in the field of nine.
In a post-race interview, driver Sanzeri said, "There didn't seem to be much early speed in here, so I decided to send him – for a change – and try to stay out of trouble. It worked!"
As the 4-5 chalk, Fox Valley paid $3.80 to win and sent his lifetime bounty to $164,164.
Finally, Pompano Park's Super Hi-5 carryover pierced the $100,000 plateau when several 20-cent ticket winners received $135.34 as a consolation.
The jackpot for a unique winning ticket now stands at $102,240.56 going into the Wednesday night program.
Post time for the card is 7:30 pm.
(Pompano)