Doo Wop Hanover, a two-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover, became the first pari-mutuel juvenile winner of the year at Pompano Park on Saturday night in scoring a game victory for Bruce Ranger in 1:56.2.
The youngster, facing older rivals, came from well off the pace and paced his final half-mile in :56.2 to nail the win in the final strides of a condition event in only his second lifetime start.
Trained by Peter Blood for owners Rick Berks and Gary Piontowski, Doo Wop Hanover was sixth early and tilted out from that spot just before the :58.3 half almost seven lengths off the lead. More than half of that was made up on the backstretch during an official :28.3 third panel -- his was :27.4 -- and grinding forward with every stride, the youngster used a :28.3 closer to earn his first win.
"...When Peter [trainer Peter Blood] qualified him just three weeks ago, he showed he had speed winning in 2:00 and a piece," said Ranger in a post-race interview. "When I drove him last week, I raced him off the ace -- it's a long season, you know -- and he was really rocking late in the mile. He paced a shade under 1:55 so I had confidence in him tonight."
Blood echoed Ranger's sentiments by saying, "So many times, these youngsters become headstrong and learn that the only way to race is on the lead. I'm sure that, in some instances, the lead is where we'll want to be early, but for now, I am very content to save those kind of miles as the season progresses."
As the heavy toteboard favourite, Doo Wop Hanover paid $3 to win.
In other action, Ingrid Glassmeyer's Allamerican Major, handled by Andy Santeramo, won his fifth straight race, scoring a decisive win in 1:53. The eight-year-old made a bold move to the top just short of the opening quarter and held off the determined effort of Freeneasy Hanover and Walter Ross Jr. Dots Big Boy finished third while the highly regarded Hillybilly, driven by Ranger, finished fourth. Even money on the board, Allamerican Major paid $4 to win.
(With files from Pompano Park)