The week at Pompano Park was highlighted by sharp performances from Gator Wont Tell, Winbak Heavenly, Black Diamond Girl, Premier Elecktrah on Monday, Surface Tension and two $4,000 claimers on Wednesday, and Kommander Hawk in the “Saturday Night Special.”
Gaator Wont Tell, a lightly raced daughter of Tell All, made her 2013 debut a winning one with a sharp win in 1:57.3 over a sloppy racing surface. Driver Tom Sells gave the sophomore a picture perfect drive, leaving for the garden journey back of Track Girl and then rolling on by in the lane to score the handy win. Trainer Mary Birkhold co-owns the filly with George Birkhold and David Reiselt.
Sells doubled his pleasure with Paul Jensen’s Winbak Heavenly in a conditioned event for fillies and mares. This three-year-old daughter of American Ideal paced her last half in :56.3 — parked out — over the sloppy racing surface to score in 1:55.3 for her second win of the year in just four starts. She’s trained by Mike Deters.
Black Diamond Girl lit up the tote-board at 15-1 in the feature for distaffers on Monday night. Handled by Wally Hennessey, the six-year-old Florida bred daughter of Six Of Diamonds came from dead last early and used a :27.4 finale to score owners Penny Kelley and Jay Sears in 1:55.4 for her initial win of the year in 14 starts.
Finally on Monday, Premier Elecktrah, handled by Kevin Wallis, used a bold backstretch surge to bottom out her female foes in 1:54.3 over a track slightly upgraded to “good” at eighth race post-time. The classy nine year-old Million Dollar Cam mare pushed her lifetime bounty to $256,648 with her 22nd career victory. She’s owned and trained by Mike Ellis.
Surface Tension, owned by Ann-Mari Daley along with Michael White, took Wednesday’s trotting feature by holding off the late surge of Dutchess Seelster in 1:57. Driver Dan Daley sent the five-year-old son of Cash Hall to the lead after three-eighths of a mile, opened up a three length lead turning for home and just did hold on to score by a neck to send his career bankroll to $236,243.
The fastest miles Wednesday night were recorded by two $4,000 claimers — Allen The Optomist and Howies Heart — both winning in 1:54. Tom Artandi’s Allen The Optomist left, yielded and re-took the lead after the opening quarter and scored for Bruce Ranger while Howies Heart just did eke by Martydaonemanparty for Kevin Wallis.
The “Saturday Night Special” at Pompano Park went to Kommander Hawk, who hung on for dear life after opening up a six length lead heading for home to score by a head in 1:52.1 for Dan Daley. Kommander Hawk is trained by John McNeil for owner Ellen McNeil.
After the event, Daley said, “This pacer might just have set a world record for pacing his final eighth mile...on his knees! He was sure tired — but game — at the end of the mile.”
Seven of Kommander Hawk’s last eight wins have been wire-to-wire.
Finally, millionaire pacer Hyperion Hanover, handled by Walter Ross Jr., scored his 42 lifetime victory in a conditioned event in 1:53.3. The 10-year-old son of Camluck, trained by Jim McDonald for the S S G Stables, now has banked over $1.2 million during his star-studded career. His mark is 1:49.1 achieved as a six-year-old.
(With files from Pompano Park)