He didn't draw the favourites for the March 16 closing night of the Isle of Capri Drivers' Championship but Anthony Napolitano showcased his impressive skills in the bike to take home the title and $8,000 top prize
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"We have a lot going on right now and a lot of good uses for this money," Napolitano said in a trackside live TV interview after clinching the title in the final event of the three-night, 10-race series. "The farm needs repair and we've just bought a house in Pennsylvania since we're heading up there for the season at Pocono Downs, and that's just for starters," Napolitano explained.
At age 29, Anthony Napolitano was the youngest reinsman in the competition for the top nine drivers of the 2010-2011 winter meet at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. He vaulted into the lead on Tuesday evening with a pair of wins and cemented his position at the top with a perfectly timed score on the final night with trotting mare Nasty Secret. Going into the last race of the Championship, only Wally Hennessey was in position to contest the top prize with Napolitano. Hennessey's first over bid fizzed in that final race with Tom Cango and Napolitano adeptly moved up with trotter Julius Secret from third over cover to take down the place position and clinch the title.
"I'd been sick last weekend and I really felt I wasn't at my best in the first leg on Monday evening," Napolitano said. "On Tuesday evening I challenged myself to really get into the thick of it because I knew I was capable of much better and it worked out great with a pair of wins. The trotters that did it for me tonight raced great, and I want to thank the owners and trainers that entered their horses for this. Because Pompano is isolated we get to know the horse colony pretty well and that definitely helped," he added. "I also remember the last drivers' contest I was in. Wally Hennessey beat me that time so I was happy to turn the tables when I went by him in the stretch in that final race."
In addition to the top prize of $8,000 for Anthony Napolitano, second place finisher Joe Pavia Jr. earned $4,000, followed by Wally Hennessey in third for a $2,000 payday. George Napolitano was fourth and receives $1,000. Dan Clements, David Ingraham, Ricky Macomber Jr., Mike Micallef and Bruce Ranger received $500 each.
The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park also put up a $5,000 guaranteed Pick-4 pool for the March 16 program. That wager was again well received with almost $10,000 in public participation and returned more than $2,800 since only a single favorite prevailed in the final four races of the Isle of Capri Drivers Championship. Racing resumes on Saturday evening, March 19, with post time at 7:05 p.m. with free race night streaming and replays in the 'racing' tab at theislepompanopark.com.
(Pompano Park)