The Saturday evening, June 23 card at Pompano Park kicked off the 2012 Sunshine State Stakes for three-year-old state-bred colts and geldings on both gaits for purses of $6,000 in Florida Standardbred Breeders And Owners Association (FSBOA) series.
Keemosable dominated his pacing rivals as a 1-9 favourite with a front end wrapped up tally in 1:53.4 with Bruce Ranger in the bike. Goldstar Raider, partnered by Walter Ross Jr., secured the pocket early and followed in for second with Diamond Cowboy, in rein to Jay Sears, next best for third. The Squaws Fella-Bolero Athena colt Keemosabe is owned by Jerry Glantz of Delray Beach, Florida and races from the care of Stewart Nemiro and the Bruce Ranger Stable.
A tropical heavy rain dominated the last half of the Saturday evening proceedings, and in the three-year-old colt and gelding trot division in very sloppy conditions Its Very Possible was a front end upset winner in 2:05. Jim Gluhm of Trenton, Florida co-owns, trains, and drove the Anythings Possible-Im Fashionable gelding to his first lifetime win as the longest offering on the odds board at 23-1. Orleans, in rein to Robert Hoffman, followed in for second and Coconspirator, with Mickey McNichol in the bike, was third.
In the early portion of the card, the Isle Mile Open Handicap Pace for an $8,500 purse saw Northern Companion get past all four of his rivals in the final half to stop the clock in 1:53.1 with Robert Hoffman in the bike. Talk To Tony, with Bruce Ranger in tow, cut the mile, but could not hold off the stretch onslaught of Northern Companion. Neptune Blue Chip, driven by Tom Sells, was third. Howard Klohr trains Northern Companion, a four-year-old gelding by Cambest-Smoke It Out, for owner Dorothy Zarza of Lake Worth, Florida.
(Pompano Park)