Ideal Feeling, handled by Kevin Wallis, scored a repeat win in Pompano Park's $11,000 Open Handicap Pace on Monday night, using a :27.1 blitz home to score by a neck in 1:51.1. The six-year-old son of American Ideal nailed the favoured Rebellious (Wally Hennessey) nearing the wire to extend his personal winning streak to three. Wes Delight (Ken Holliday) was third, just a length away, while Saulsbrook Deputy and Lets Roll earned the minor awards in the classy sextet.
At the outset, Ideal Feeling zipped off the wings only to yield to Wes Delight at the hot :26.3 opener. At that point, Rebellious was on the move forward and took charge into turn two and marched over to the half in :54.4 leaving Ideal Feeling third and about to be shuffled to fourth as Villiam made a backside binge going first up.
Rebellious hit the third station in 1:23.2 and turned for home with a clear lead but Ideal Feeling was able to shake loose, swing widest of all and surge by just strides from the wire.
In a post-race interview, driver Kevin Wallis explained, "Well, things really didn't work out early as I had hoped. I was looking for a two-hole trip back of Rebellious but that never happened and I was a bit concerned on the backside when I got shuffled a bit. But, this is a very good, professional racehorse and, when he found room, he responded like the horse he is.
"Peter Blood (trainer) has him in exceptional condition and credit goes to him and the horse and the caretakers who keep him the way he was tonight. I cannot say enough about Peter as he is the consummate horseman -- he has been for so many years -- and his expertise was evident in the horse's performance tonight."
The win was the fourth of the year for Ideal Feeling and sent his 2021 bankroll to $26,260 for owner Rick Berks. He's earned $298,208 lifetime to go along with his 1:48.4 mark last season at The Meadowlands.
As third choice in the betting, Ideal Feeling paid $6.20 to win.
In the $10,000 Open II Pace, Prairie Panther took advantage of the rare opportunity to race in an event other than the top class and went on to score a 1:51.3 win for Wally Hennessey.
The seven-year-old gelded son of Royel Millennium, last halfway through the mile, made a backside blitz to stick his head in front on the final turn, got into a war until mid-stretch and then went on to score by two lengths over Lyons Night Hawk (Braxton Boyd) with Kinnder Jackson (Joe Chindano, Jr.) another length back in third. Funknwaffles was fourth in the quintet with Mc Mach picking up the nickel.
It was Kinnder Jackson and Lyons Night Hawk off the wings in a hurry vying for supremacy with the latter in front through early fractions of :27 and :55.1.
On the backside, Prairie Panther went roaring from fifth and, by the final bend, was on even terms with the Lyons Night Hawk and these two were side-by-side until Prairie Panther edged clear in the final sixteenth.
Trained by Mike Deters, who co-owns with Laurie Poulin, Prairie Panther won for the 44th time during his illustrious career to send his career bounty to $413,730. This year’s scorecard reads 3-3-0 in nine starts, good for $23,750.
Off at even money on the tote-board, Prairie Panther paid $4.00 to his multitude of faithful.
In the $10,000 event for $20,000-$30,000 claiming pacers, La Rockin Sampson, skillfully handled by Ken Holliday, took charge early from his outside seven post and sawed through panels of :26.2, :55 and 1:23 and held off the late charge of Millennial (Joe Chindano, Jr.) to score by three-parts-of-a-length in 1:51.3.
Johnny Chip (Kevin Wallis) was third while Manceiver and Rockin Machine earned the minor awards.
Trained by Holliday for 1940LLC, the five-year-old altered son of Rockin Image won for the fourth time in 2021 to send his yearly bounty to $29,680.
As the 7-2 second choice, La Rockin Sampson paid $9.20 to win.
Racing continues of Tuesday night with a pair of $11,500 feature events, including an anticipated rivalry between Toys For You and Muscles For Life in the Open Handicap Trot.
Toys For You returns to the racing wars looking to extend his winning streak to five, including a win in his last start on March 16, while Muscles For Life will try and earn a repeat win after winning the Open Handicap Trot last week.
In the “better for the bettor” department, Pompano Park will have a $20,000 guaranteed pool on their Tuesday Pick-4, which has an industry low 12% takeout.
First post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(Pompano Park)