As they came down the stretch in the $10,000 purse trotting handicap feature on Wednesday, June 8 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, the only question was which of the two battling 13-1 longshots would win
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In the end it was the Tom Sells driven Bull Durham, edging by to score in 1:57.4. The seven-year-old Wewering-Money Ahead gelding benefitted from a following trip until mid-stretch when enough daylight appeared for him to move up and collar Linda Lovelegs, with Dan Clements in the bike, after she supplied all of the top end speed through well rated fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:28. Race favourite Keystone Thomas made an uncharacteristic break at the gate to pave the way for the longshots to have their way. After Linda Lovelegs brought the field into the stretch. another of the public choices was eliminated when Rose Run Limo went offstride after emerging from the pocket, clearing the way for the longer priced competitors to battle it out. Good Luck Penny, in rein to Jim McDonald, closed up for third.
Bull Durham is trained by Jim Langley for ABC Farms of Pelham Manor, New York and Langley Stables of Deerfield Beach, Florida. It was his fifth win in 20 starts this year to push his lifetime earnings to $151,728.
In the $8,500 purse trotting co-feature, Super Lotto wired the field in 1:56.2 with Wally Hennessey in the bike for owner-trainer Mike Deters of Coconut Creek, Florida. The Wewering-Eng Amer Goldie six-year-old gelding notched his sixth win in 19 starts this year to improve his lifetime earnings to more than $153,000.
Super Lotto held off a hard closing 15-1 longshot in Bay Lightning, partnered by Norm Dessereault. Feel L A raced first over for the final five-eighths of the mile, with Tom Sells in the bike, and she stayed for third although her six-race win streak was ended.
Richie Simard topped all drivers on the mid-week program with three winners, including a 1:56.1 spin as the owner and trainer of veteran trotter Cheers To Chip.
(Pompano Park)