While Neptune took top honours in Pompano Park's top $12,500 Open Pace on Saturday night, he had to share the spotlight with Steelhead Hanover, who tripped the final timer in 1:49.2, a time equalled or eclipsed on only six other occasions in Pompano Park history.
Neptune, dismissed as the fourth choice in a sextet of Open pacers, pulled off a mild upset at Pompano Park on Saturday night, stopping the timer with a lifetime-best 1:50.2 performance for driver Aaron Byron.
The six-year-old son of Riverboat King, trained by Dale Gilmour for owner Sue Chindano, dawdled near the back of the pack early on as favoured Remissionofsins, handled by Bruce Ranger, sizzled panels of :25.4, :54.1 and 1:21.3 before seccumbing to the late onslaught of the winner. Neptune paced the fastest final panel of all -- :27.4 -- to eke out the photo finish win measuring a head. Remissionofsins did finish second.
Cadillac Phil, with Mike Micallef handling the lines, closed from last around the final turn to finish third while Fancyfreeshark was fourth. Heart Felt, prominent throughout the mile in the garden spot, picked up the "nickel," two and a half lengths away, while Prairie Jaguar, forced to go about an extra 20 yards while outside all the way, finished sixth, pacing his mile in 1:51.
In a post race interview, Byron related, "Neptune really had no room to roam in his last couple of starts, until it was too late to do much damage. Tonight, it was kind of the same story, but, this time, we were able to find some room and he responded...big time! The fractions were very hot tonight and that helped his cause as we know he can pace a final quarter under :27."
Gilmour chimed in as well saying, "This horse isn't very large in stature but he has a tremendous heart and seems to love his surroundings. He only had a handful of starts on tracks larger than a half-mile (seven) before coming here and he was able to pace final quarters in :27 at Yonkers, so I was always hopeful he could perform well and very happy he was able to strut his stuff here."
Off at 6-1, Neptune paid $14.40 to win with this, his initial triumph of the year -- 23rd lifetime and first on a track larger than a half-mile -- to send his career earnings to $207,956.
Steelhead Hanover, competing in a $9,400 conditioned pace, made a shambles of his event zipping out of the gate for driver/trainer Joe Pavia Jr. as it sprung open and carding fractions of :27, :54.4 and 1:21.1 en route to his 1:49.2 performance. He reached the wire four and three-quarter lengths ahead of the pocket-sitting Cartoonist (Wally Hennessey) with One Lucky Dragon (Matt Romano) third. Smile A Little and Damon Blue Chip completed the initial five in the field of nine.
Owned by the consortium of Steven Held, AGC Stables, Dijo Racing and Joseph Barbera, Steelhead Hanover, a six-year-old son of Bettors Delight, was making just his second start of the year and, although he does own a 1:48.3 mark at Pocono Downs, Pavia was surprised at the outcome.
"I thought he'd be better tonight on the drop down in class," he said, "but I was very surprised at the time. He did this whole thing by himself. After I sent him, he just rambled on all on his own. He was absolutely outstanding tonight...and he did it easily, too!"
While the time might have been a surprise to Pavia, the outcome was not...to the bettors, anyhow. Steelhead Hanover was 1-5 on the board and paid $2.60 to win.
That win, incidentally, was the pacer's 17th lifetime in 69 starts, pushing his lifetime earnings to $489,458.
A $10,000 co-feature for $20,000-$25,000 claiming pacers went to Johnny Grippa, driven by Bruce Ranger in 1:51.3.
In an event cut to just a field of three with two pre-race scratches, Johnny Grippa, trained by Stewart Nemiro for Mc Trade Enterprises, wired his two opponents off of fractions of :28, :55.4 and 1:24.1 before a :27.2 sprint home sealed the deal by a length over the favourite JJs Doughnut (Kevin Wallis). Machinist (Jason Dillander) finished third in the trio.
The winner, a seven-year-old son of Cams Card Shark, won for the 40th time during his career -- third time this season -- to send his lifetime bankroll to $177,395.
As 8-5 second choice, Johnny Grippa paid $5.40 to win.
Yet another $10,000 co-feature -- this one a conditioned event for pacers -- went to Northern Companion, driven by Dave Ingraham, coming from well off the pace and pacing his final half in :54 to roll by late to score a 1:52.1 decision measuring three-quarters of a length over Dont Tell Rusty (Dan Clements) with Ts Electric (Jason Dillander) third. Hillybilly rallied from eighth and last to finish fourth while Whos Your Maddy finished fifth.
The victory for the Howard Klohr-trained/Dorothy Zarza-owned seven-year-old son of Cambest was his second of the year in just six starts and 39th triumph lifetime, leaving his lifetime bounty just a few dollars shy of $250,000.
Northern Companion was second choice in the betting and paid $10.60 to win.
Finally, the Florida Amateur Driving Club had two events on the Saturday night program with Dein Spriggs taking the opener with Zeitgeist and Four Starz Credit and driver Jamie Marra teaming up for the victory in the second. In the case of Spriggs' win, it was the ninth straight week that the amateur driver has reached the winner's circle in an FADC event.
After that event, the club made a large donation to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation in honouring the memory of popular Pompano Park farrier Robert Rochealue, who lost his battle with brain cancer several weeks ago. The club now has surpassed the $140,000 in charitable donations.
Pompano Park's 20-cent Super Hi-5 had nine winning tickets out on the 8-1-10-4-2 combination, paying $183.40 each and sending the carryover to the Sunday night program over $55,000. Post time is 7:30 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)