Northern Companion, making his final start of the Pompano meeting before heading northward, paced his final three-quarters in 1:22.2 and rolled by the entire field in the stretch to score a decisive win for driver Rob Hoffman in 1:51.1 in Pompano Park’s top pace on Saturday night.
The five-year-old son of Cambest, trained by Howard Klohr for owner Dorothy Zarza, defeated McGreat, handled by Kevin Wallis, by three-quarters of a length with Talk To Tony and Wally Hennessey teaming up for third. Atta Boy Dan and Avantage picked up the final two cheques with the two favourites, McSocks, off at 3-2, and Cruizin K C, 5-2, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively, in the septet.
It was McSocks out quickest of all for Bruce Ranger taking the field to the opener in :27.1 with Talk To Tony and Avantage next. But right at the opening station, driver Mark O’Mara had Cruizin K C on a speed binge from sixth and 'K C' was clear at the half in :55.3.
On the backside, Atta Boy Dan, with Walter Ross Jr. handling the lines, made his bid, put pressure on the leader, and actually poked a neck in front just short of station three, timed in 1:22.4.
Meanwhile, Talk To Tony was mounting a bid on the outside, McGreat was charging on a double-bubble move and Northern Companion was way out in the center of the track while making his characteristic sweeping move, taking charge just inside the sixteenth pole and drawing away at the end.
“Buddy [Northern Companion] had been having a few health issues over the past month or so, but he sure felt like he wanted some racetrack to roll tonight," said Hoffman in a post-race interview. "When I saw Cruizin K C make that early move, I thought the fractions would set up favourably for my horse...and it worked out just that way. I don’t know exactly what my horse paced his last half in -- it was about :54 -- but he sure was rockin’.”
For Northern Companion, the win was his fifth of the year in 10 starts, pushing his seasonal bankroll to $26,825. He’s banked $128,252 lifetime.
In the co-feature pace, Bombilla Hanover, driven by Bruce Ranger, was on her game and posted a very sharp 1:52 victory over the boys -- her winning margin a length over a game Cascata (Ingraham) and fast-closing Ricks Sign (Wallis).
The five-year-old daughter of The Panderosa, owned by the consortium of Lewis Whitaker, Rick Berks and trainer Peter Blood, was unhurried at the start, but ready to roll short of the opening quarter (:27.1) and assumed command after three-eighths before carding panels of :55.2 and 1:23.1 en route to the winner’s circle.
“She has a tendency to fight you if you don’t let her do it her way -- that’s why she made that break last week -- but, as Bruce says, ‘she drives him!’” commented Blood.
Ranger agreed saying he just let the mare “play her own game tonight.”
Bombilla Hanover is six-for-10 this year, good for $24,250 in purses. She’s banked $146,628 lifetime.
(With files from Pompano Park)