He's the fastest horse this season at Pompano Park, he’s the fastest horse on a five-eighths mile track in North America this year and he has now won eight of his last nine starts. He goes by the name of Vapor In The Wind.
It was no different Saturday night as Vapor In The Wind made it four out of five in 2009 with a 1:51.3 victory in the $16,000 Open Handicap Pace. This time he saved a little energy, getting a dream trip from stablemate Gotta Go Moe.
Gotta Go Moe shot right to the lead in the feature race from Post 2 and also leaving was Vapor In The Wind with Ricky Macomber Jr. from Post 6. Vapor In The Wind settled right into second place as Gotta Go Moe led the field to the opening quarter mile in :27 seconds.
They raced single-style past the half-mile pole in an easy :56 seconds and that was when the action started to heat up. Sahara Hall came first-over in the backstretch with I Can Only Imagine following the live cover. They pressed after the leaders to the three-quarter pole in 1:23.4 with I Can Only Imagine tipped three-wide on the final turn to challenge.
Then in a dramatic stretch drive, Macomber was able to squeeze out with Vapor In The Wind next to Sahara Hall as Gotta Go Moe began to fade and with a final burst of speed at the finish beat I Can Only Imagine by one length. Sahara Hall was third.
Trained by Dick Macomber for the Tanah Merah Farms of Springfield, IL, Vapor In The Wind is a five-year-old gelded son of Cole Muffler.
(Pompano Park)