Two 'gators' --- one a trotter and one a pacer --- grabbed top honours in their respective feature events at Pompano Park on Wednesday night.
First, in the winners-over trotting feature, Like A Gator, who had been in for a claiming tag in many of his prior starts, upset the applecart by blowing by the competition in deep stretch to score a decisive 1:57 decision for driver Stephane Lareau.
The six-year-old son of Like A Prayer, trained by Norm Dessureault for owner Noreen Paulin, was second to last choice in the betting, having gone off at post-time odds of 11-1. The 'Gator' went on to return $25.40 on a successful Win wager.
Lareau sent his charge winging at the start and inherited a garden trip, as Lugar (driven by Tom Sells) cut seemingly friendly fractions of :29 and :59.4.
On the backside, Dutchess Seelster (John Campagnuolo), brushed up from fifth and into the lead during an official third panel of :28.1 --- hers was :27.2 --- with My Revenuer (Walter Ross Jr.) taking up the chase.
Like A Gator, who was in fourth, wanted to get out and do a little walking around, as he wended his way out turning for home. 'Gator' put on his big-boy pants, collared the leaders in the last sixteenth of the mile and cruised from there, thus bringing a little walking-around money to his connections.
Dutchess Seelster did finish second while My Revenuer picked up show honours. Lugar and Tug River Dylan picked up the final two awards in the field of seven.
The win was the ninth of the year for Like A Gator, who, courtesy of a little walking-around money, upped his 2013 bounty to $30,754.
After the race, Lareau said, "...this horse has plenty of early speed and loves the front end and I thought I may have been a little too cautious going to the three quarters but, sometimes, things work out for the best and, tonight, that was the story and we found some room turning for home."
The other 'Gator' to win was the three year-old Florida bred pacing filly I Spy A Gator, handled by Bob Roberts, who was making his initial driving appearance of the 2013 season.
Owned and trained by Mary Birkhold, the daughter of Spy Hard dawdled back in sixth early on but found some room turning for home to roar by late in the lane to score an upset at 16-1 in a lifetime best 1:57.4.
It was the first success of the year for I Spy A Gator, making only her third start of the year after a very successful juvenile campaign in which she was one of the leading fillies on the Florida Stakes circuit.
(With files from Pompano)