His stable may have come into the month like a lamb at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, but his starters went out with a lion's ferocity as the March portion of the racing schedule concluded in South Florida
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On the March 29 and 30 programs, trainer Peter Blood accomplished a natural hat trick by winning with three consecutive starters from his barn. His hot streak increased to three in a row on the Wednesday evening program as claiming pacer Panic turned in a game two move effort to topple the $10,000 restricted claiming class. The four-year-old gelding by The Panderosa-Kristina earned a life's speed badge of 1:54.2 in the process with Richard Simard in the bike for owner Roger Slobody of West Brookfield, Massachusetts.
The hot streak for the Peter Blood barn began one night earlier, as he sent out pacing mares M A Jackie and Eve to victory with his only two starters on the Tuesday evening card.
Haughton Wins 2011 Debut
Fifty-four-year-old horseman Tom Haughton made his first start of 2011 a winning one on the March 30 program in South Florida.
Haughton, a career winner of over $4 million in training purses and over $18 million in driving purse earnings, sent out Ronny B Fast to a handy 1:56.2 life's mark win over maiden company with Wally Hennessey in the bike.
Ronny B Fast, by Western Hanover-Eicarls Olvidar, was a $21,000 purchase at the 2009 Harrisburg Sale. Haughton shares ownership with Ron Barnhard of Parkland, Florida on the promising three-year-old gelding.
Brown Steals One In Top Trot
With place and show wagering barred from the $14,000 top weekly trot on the Wednesday evening program, the public was fully expecting a win from the Bruce Ranger stable. While that did come true, it was not on the prohibitive favourite Andover America but rather on his stablemate Keystone Thomas.
Doug Brown was in the bike to execute a front-end upset at 11-1 with Keystone Thomas through fractions of :28.0, :57.4, 1:26 and 1:54.4. The five-year-old Revenue S-Yankee Taboo gelding is trained by Stewart Nemiro from the Ranger Stable for Fred Monteleone of Pompano Beach, Florida. Andover America was eased away last in the field of six in the opening half but salvaged the place position from a first over grind in the final half. As the field turned for home, the pocket-sitting Budget Gap, in rein to Wally Hennessey, tipped out but then made a break and Keystone Thomas was left with a comfortable margin the rest of the way to the wire for his 20th career win.
In April, there will be a one-week pause in the action with a dark week from April 17-24. Live action at Pompano Park resumes on Saturday, April 2 featuring the $14,000 purse handicap pace. Race night streaming and replays are avaiable for free in the 'racing' tab at www.theislepompanopark.com
(Pompano Park)