Drachan Hanover, given perfect rating by Wally Hennessey, scored a repeat victory in Pompano Park’s $10,000 Open Handicap Pace on Sunday night (April 2), stopping the teletimer in 1:51.2.
The five-year-old son of Jeremes Jet out-rushed Heart Felt (Bryce Fenn) when the wings folded and went on to post panels of :26.4 and a well-rated :56.1 before livening up the pace on the backside with a third panel in :28.2 and sealing the issue with a :26.4 finale.
Heart Felt did finish second while Sing For Me George (Kevin Wallis) finished third. Pointsman was next in the mile while Alta Jerome was fifth in the classy sextet of pacers.
In a post-race interview, driver Hennessey remarked, “This is a very classy racehorse and he showed that tonight. He’s very smart, too.
“He was all business leaving out of the gate and then had the sense enough to relax during the second quarter. Once we reached the half in soft time (:56.1), I felt very confident that he could get home.
“He really accelerated midway on the backside and he was full of race in the lane.
“He won in a bit faster time last week, but I thought he may have even been a bit sharper tonight with that final quarter.”
Trained by Marcel Barrieau for Nova Scotia owners Llyod Maclean and Kenneth Rankin, Drachan Hanover won for the fourth time this year to send his earnings to $30,440 in 10 starts.
Lifetime, Drachan Hanover has earned $446,682 to go along with a 1:50.1 mark in South Florida.
Off at 1-2, Drachan Hanover paid $3 to his multitude of backers.
The $8,000 Open 2 Pace went to Rockntouch, under the direction of driver Mickey McNichol.
This five-year-old gelded son of Rock N Roll Heaven got picture perfect handling from McNichol by stalking Winyard Hanover (John MacDonald) through fractions of :26.3, :55.3 and 1:23.4 before using his customary burst home — in this case :27.3 — to score by one and a quarter lengths over that that paacesetter with St Lads Lotto (Wally Hennessey) third, two lengths away. Fritzie Pic Up Man, last for the first five-eighths of the journey, rallied for fourth while Rock N Row finished fifth after a mild first-over backside bid.
Rockntouch won for the third time this year to push his 2017 earnings to $20,775.
Lifetime, Rockntouch, owned by Salvatore Promuto along with the Fred Monteleone Stable, has banked $127,195 on the strength of a 16-10-9 scorecard in 69 starts to go along with a Pompano Park mark of 1:51.2.
Off at 6-5, Rockntouch returned $4.60 to win.
In other Sunday night action, American Hustle, a lightly raced three-year-old American Ideal colt, stretched his winning streak to four for Kevin Wallis, overcoming the outside eight post to score in 1:51.3, a new lifetime mark.
Coming into the 2017 season with one win on his card and a qualifying mark of 2:00.4 as a two-year-old with meager earnings of $1,368, American Hustle now has produced new lifetime marks in each of his five wins this semester, lowering his 1:55.1 mark, set in his seasonal debut six weeks ago, to the aforementioned 1:51.3 on Sunday night.
Owned and trained by Bryan Lawrence of Hanover, Ont., American Hustle now has earnings of $14,656 while steadily moving up the ladder.
As the 4-5 toteboard favourite, American Hustle paid $3.60 to his multitude of backers.
Racing continues on Monday night with Sailer Eddie looking to extend his winning streak to three in the featured $10,000 Open Handicap for trotters. Sooo Handsome, just a nose away from Sailer Eddie last week, is also in to go along with Boli, Tater Twister, Dog Gone Lucky and Prairie Fortune, returning to the racing wars after a week off.
Pompano Park will offer a $10,000 guaranteed pool on the Pick-4 as part of the USTA Strategic Wagering Program on races six through nine.
Post time is 7:30 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)