The day long tropical rain in South Florida, which stopped just before post time, didn't dampen the spirit of the three-year-old fillies on both gaits as the Sunshine State Stakes kicked off on Wednesday, June 20 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.
Wednesday's stakes action was the opening event on the 2012 calendar for the Florida Standardbred Breeders And Owners Association (FSBOA) program.
In the $6,038 purse first leg of the Sunshine State Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, heavily favoured Quail was sent to the lead by driver Bruce Ranger and raced past fractions of :27.4, :57.2, and 1:25.3. Diamond Amber, in rein to Mickey McNichol, applied the first over pressure to the top of the lane with Gold Star Gidget and Walter Ross Jr. bursting off her cover to a short lead early in the stretch. By mid-stretch, however, Gold Star Gidget could not sustain her momentum and Quail battled back to edge out Gold Star Gidget for the win in 1:55.3 over the track rated as sloppy. Prairie Lee, driven by Tom Sells, followed in for third and the 2011 two-year-old FSBOA filly pace champion, Cracker Coffee, followed in for fourth with Robert Hoffman aboard.
Quail, by Six Of Diamonds from the Cam Fella mare Armbro Robin, is a homebred racing from the care of her owners Kim and Jay Sears of Osteen, Florida. Quail has won five of six starts already in her three-year-old campaign.
In the $6,075 purse first leg of the Sunshine State Stakes for Florida-bred three-year-old filly trotters, Selena and driver Bruce Ranger used a wide sweeping move going into the final turn to get in position for a mid-stretch confrontation with favoured Pinch Of Thyme, driven by Mel Turcotte. Selena edged away from Pinch Of Thyme in late stretch to stop the clock in 1:59, while the pocket-sitting Feel The Haze, driven by Mickey McNichol, followed in for third.
Selena, by Anythings Possible from Twenty One Bee, thus picked up her first career win and it was her debut from the Bruce Ranger-Stewart Nemiro barn for owner and breeder DCLD Stables of New York.
On the undercard, the Isle Mile Open Handicap Trot was contested for an $8,500 purse. En Controle, driven by Daniel Harvey, was the longest odds offering in the field at 17-1, and emerged from a second over trip to edge out heavily favoured Wildfire, driven by Mickey McNichol, in 1:57.3. My Revenuer did the first over road work with Bruce Ranger in tow and a close third.
En Controle, an eight-year-old Self Possessed-Nutty Butty ridgling, is trained by Jean Beaulieu for the ownership of Haras De L'Estrie of Dunham, Quebec.
The state-bred program continues on Saturday night, June 23, as the three-year-old colts and geldings on both gaits will see action in their first leg of the FSBOA Sunshine State Stakes.
(With files from Pompano Park)