Bowman Still Striking In His Seventies

He may be the most senior competitor in the driving colony these days at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park but 71-year-old Veral Bowman is also among the

most successful.

After recent top class wins training and driving with his stable member Dartagnan, Bowman was at his crafty best again on the Wednesday, June 15 program. He executed a perfect off the pace score with $6,000 claiming pacer Arts Day. It was the 30th career win for the nine-year-old Artsplace-Laugh A Day gelding and improved his career earnings to more than $338,000. Tough Luck, in rein to Stephane Bardier, closed next best for the place position and Commence Fire, driven by Richie Simard, cut the mile and held third.

The well travelled Bowman originally hails from Stayner, Ont. and is a longtime resident of Deerfield Beach, Florida.

The top class weekly events on both gaits have been a graveyard for favourites in the month of June in South Florida and that trend remained intact in the $10,000 purse handicap trot on the June 15.

When 1-5 favourite Keystone Thomas made a break when crossing over to the lead in the first quarter, Super Lotto, in rein to Wally Hennessey, seized the moment. They proceeded to step off the fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:26.3 en route to a 1:55.4 victory. Good Lucky Penny, driven by Jim McDonald, made a final half first over bid and held third while the pocket-sitting Tom Cango, in rein to Richard Simard, was able to hold the place position.

Super Lotto competes for owner-trainer Mike Deters of Coconut Creek, Florida. The Wewering-Eng Amer Goldie six-year-old gelding is amassing his best career year to date and already has banked more than $33,000 in 2011.

(Pompano Park)