The number of horses of any racing breed which have had more than two dozen different drivers or riders must be very small indeed. Indestructible pacing mare Nillabomb has now had 26 reinsman as her dance partner
and she just doesn't seem to mind one bit.
The six-year-old Admirals Galley-Be A Little Lady mare summoned up two strong moves to win the $14,000 weekly pacing feature for mares on Tuesday at Pompano Park. After leaving hard to the quarter in :26.4 to sit behind Im Just Special (Bobby Smolin) and Bryans Ideal (Dan Clements), Nillabomb sat in line until the top of the stretch. Im Just Special posted the middle panels of :55.4 and 1:24.1 while disposing of the first over bid by Major Trap in rein to Wally Hennessey.
In the stretch, Nillabomb mustered the widest and best kick of all to collar Im Just Special and Bryans Ideal at the final buzzer in 1:52.4. It was Nillabomb's 36th career win which increased her lifetime bankroll to more than $373,000. For her entire career, Nillabomb has been trained by Eric Beach for Trifecta 246 Corp. of Linden, MI.
It was Chuck Connor, Jr. again in the bike as Nillabomb ran her current win streak to three-in-a-row. For the record, Connor is the 26th different driver to sit behind Nillabomb in her pari-mutuel career. She's actually had 27 different drivers if you count Mark MacQuarrie in a qualifying race at Windsor Raceway.
The Tuesday evening card also proved to be a charmed night at the office for trainer Eric Beach. In addition to Nillabomb, he also sent out winners with claiming pace mare JM Dancing Star and conditioned pace mare Witch Trials.
Florida Breeders Champs Returning
A pair of two-year-old champions from the Florida Standardbred Breeders And Owners Association (FSBOA) made their three-year-old season's debut on the Tuesday evening program.
Famous Hall took on older rivals in a $6,000 conditioned trot and cut the mile to the final turn before making a break in stride. He won the FSBOA two-year-old colt trot title last December 11 for owner-breeder Amante Standardbreds of Delray Beach, FL and trainer Marc Aubin.
Gold Star Glitter finished a hard-closing fourth in her three-year-old season's debut against older mares in a $6,000 conditioned test. She was the FSBOA two-year-old filly pace champ on Florida Super Night last December for breeder, owner and breeder Tom Audley of Bell, FL.
(Pompano Park)