Goldstar Rockette, driven by Kevin Wallis for owner-trainer Lou Ginesi, turned back a ferocious bid by Sues Night Out, handled by Wally Hennessey, to win a photo finish decision in Pompano Park's $9,500 Open Handicap Pace for Mares on Tuesday night.
The Florida bred six-year-old daughter of Rock On, took command from Sues Night Out past the :27.1 opening panel, set warm fractions of :55.4 and 1:25 and repelled the stretch long challenge to score by a head in 1:53.2. Always Dee One was third, with Sues Your Daddy next.
"When I drove her last week, I found a close up spot in third and couldn't quite reach,” said driver Kevin Wallis. "This week, since she's been so sharp lately, I thought maybe she'd be OK on the lead. It wasn't that easy making the top but she was very game-extremely game-tonight and fought very hard all the way home."
For Goldstar Rockette, it was her sixth win of the year in 18 starts, vaulting her seasonal bankroll to $31,062. Career-wise, the mare has bounty of $94,913. Goldstar Rockette returned $4.00 to win.
In the co-featured Petar Saric Memorial Trot, Pittsburgh Hanover, driven by Matt Romano for trainer Doug Miller and owner (the late) William Weaver III, pulled off a minor upset, collaring the 1-5 favourite, Sailer Eddie (Kevin Wallis), right on the wire. The official margin on the line was a head with Gold Savage salvaging third, six lengths away for Mickey McNichol.
At the outset, Romano sent Pittsburgh Hanover away with alacrity to force Seeking Steven to accept the garden pocket seat with Sailer Eddie, leaving from the outside post five, next and finding a seat in third-but not for long. After that :27.1 opener, Sailer Eddie forged up to take the lead three-eighths into the mile and proceeded to take the field half way home in :56.1. On the backside, positions remained unchanged with Romano leaving the coziness of the pocket with Pittsburgh Hanover just prior to the third station in 1:25.4 to engage Sailer Eddie in war the rest of the mile. It was nip and tuck all the way home with Pittsburgh Hanover up in the final stride, stopping the timer in 1:55.3 over a track rated "good" after having been dulled by on-and-off rain.
"Last week when I drove him, it was kind of a similar situation, but I was somewhat closer this time when we left the pocket and brushed up,” said driver Matt Romano. "We were out-brushed late last week but, being a bit closer this time, was probably the difference. He's a lightly raced five year-old and he's very sharp right now. Gotta give credit to Doug (trainer Miller) for getting him this good."
Never worse than second this year, Pittsburgh Hanover pushed his 2016 scorecard to 5-3-0 in eight starts, good for $21,780. Lifetime, the altered son of Yankee Glide now has seven wins in 18 starts and $38,460. Pittsburgh Hanover paid $6.80 to win.
The Petar Saric Memorial, by the way, honours the memory of the champion Croatian driver, whose sons, Zoran and Srdan, have competed at Pompano Park.
Racing continues on Sunday night with first post set at 7:30 p.m.
(Pompano Park)