The highly-anticipated Pompano Legends Pro-Am will take place on Sunday, March 6, at the famed South Florida oval as the Florida Amateur Driving Club (FADC) has put together a multi-race event with charity, ultimately, being the big winner.
Pompano Park legends Dave Ingraham, Mickey McNichol, Bruce Ranger and Wally Hennessey will pit their well honed skills that have produced, collectively, over 33,000 wins and close to $200,000,000 in purse money against many of the leading amateur drivers with the beneficiaries being the Rockin T Equine Sanctuary, Christian's Harness Horsemen's Association, Tomorrow's Rainbow and the Standardbred Retirement Foundation.
Ingraham, a native of Lewiston, Maine, has been a favourite for longshot players for many years, earning the tag "double-digit Dave" from announcers as he has won more than 7,700 races during a stellar career dating back over 40 years.
McNichol, from New York, has well over 4,700 wins during his career stretching an amazing six decades and has won many of the sport's most prestigious events, including the famed Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks, several Breeders Crown events and the World Trotting Derby, among others.
Bruce Ranger, originally from Portland, Maine. was a perennial favourite at Pompano Park for many years. Once again residing in his home state, Ranger is closing in on 10,000 lifetime wins with 2021 his best year in terms of wins since 2009. He will be making his first starts of the new year here at Pompano Park.
Hall of Fame driver Wally Hennessey, a native of Charlottetown, P.E.I., drove his first winner in 1975 at his home track and has defied aging process since. He won an amazing 435 races last year — a career high — and now boasts more than 11,000 lifetime wins with $73,000,000 in purses. Most noted with the grand trotter Moni Maker, Hennessey has a Woodrow Wilson win with Americas Pastime on his resume with many other stakes.
Of course, the Florida Amateur Driving Club is sending out their "A" team with former Amateur Driver of the Year Steve Oldford on the roster, along with Dein Spriggs, bringing a lofty .493 UDRS "batting average" to the event, Ron Cusimano, last season's FADC leader and Tommy Santeramo, sporting a .514 average as a recent regular to the team.
Because of the generosity of the 60-member organization donating all earnings from driving in FADC races to the cause, the FADC has donated over $230,000 to worthy charitable causes since their inception...and that will be boosted by $10,000 at the conclusion of this Pro-Am event.
Rockin T Equine Sanctuary is a non-profit equine rescue facility that takes in horses that are abused, neglected or need a good home.
Christian Harness Horsemen's Association shepherds the Way, the Truth and the Light with prayer being the key to ongoing success since its inception in 1983.
Tomorrow's Rainbow provides grief support groups for children ages three and over and their caregivers who have suffered trauma in their lives.
The Standardbred Retirement Foundation created to care for, rehabilitate and secure lifetime adoption of Standardbred horses.
Post time for the Sunday program at Pompano park is 7:20 p.m. and, in the "better for the bettor" department, the track will feature a $15,000 guaranteed pool on its Pick-4 bolstered by an industry low 12% takeout.
(Pompano)