Undefeated two-year-old trotter Whosgoinwhosstayin helped kick off Pompano Park Harness Track’s 45th anniversary season Friday, posting his seventh straight win.
Driven by Mickey McNichol, who also celebrated his 60th birthday Friday, Whosgoinwhosstayin led from start to finish in a division of the $60,000 Florida Sunshine State Stakes, winning in a romp by six and one-half lengths. Linda Kakaley and Sophia Valkanoff of Pompano Beach own Whosgoinwhosstayin.
The evening festivities started off with presentations to the prior meets leading driver and trainer. Bruce Ranger scored his 12th overall driving title with 346 victories while Mike Deters captured the training title over Ranger, 82 to 79.
Ranger started off the night in top form, winning five races on the program.
Also honoured on the program was Renee Arnold, wife of owner, trainer and amateur driver Robert Arnold. The Florida Chapter of the US Harness Writers Association presented its inaugural Sunshine Award with a $500 cheque to Renee, who gave one of her kidneys to help save her husband’s life as his lone kidney had failed.
There were a total of ten Florida Sunshine State Stakes on opening night. This was the fourth leg of the series.
As Whosgoinwhosstayin won his $5,170 division for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 2:02.3, McNichol is still in awe of the son of Basil.
“He just scares me how well he does,” McNichol said. “He just wants to trot away from the field the entire mile.”
In the $5,170 first division for freshman trotting colts, Be Lachek and driver Wally Hennessey also were able to lead from start to finish, winning by three and one-half lengths in 2:03. It was the gelded son of Wevering’s third win this year for owner-breeders Kim and Jay Sears of Osteen.
The $7,389 second division for two-year-old trotting fillies saw Pearl Of Capri and driver Dan Clements post their fifth straight win. Wiring the field by four and one-quarter lengths in 2:02.4, Pearl Of Capri is trained by Veral Bowman for breeder/owners Frank & Inge Smith of Deerfield Beach.
Wally Jean and driver Mickey McNichol won the $7,314 first division with a lifetime mark of 2:04.4. It was the second win this year for Wally Jean, who led from start to finish by three-quarters of a length. She is trained by Kim Sears and is owned by Richard & Sandra Dunmire of North Fort Myers.
There were two divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies as Callies Sweetheart captured the first division in 1:58.2 for Melvyn Aylor, who bred, owns, trains and drove the daughter of Mannart Howard to victory by two and one-quarter lengths.
Bling and driver Mel Turcotte wired the field in the second division, posting their fourth win in six starts with a neck triumph over Howards Pride (Bruce Ranger) in 1:59.4. Bling is trained by Mark Friedman and is owned by the Polo Stables of Boca Raton.
Baileysirishdream was the most impressive in the two divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies. Trained and driven by Robert Roberts, Baileysirishdream wired the field by five and three-quarter lengths to win in 1:59.1. It was her fifth straight win this year for breeder/owner Barbara Bailey of Deleon Springs.
It turned out to be a driving double in that division as Robert Roberts also won with Better Goods in 2:00.2. Also leading from start to finish, Better Goods won by three-quarters of a length for trainer Kim Sears and owner Larry Silber of Pompano Beach.
After making a move at the opening quarter mile, last year’s champion, Alice Springs, took the lead for good in the $5,370 division for three-year-old pacing fillies, winning by two open lengths in 1:58.3 for driver Wally Hennessey. She is trained by Tom Harmer and is owned by the Ciara Stables and Michael Polansky.
The final stakes race on the card was the three-year-old colt and gelding trot for $7,685 as the favourite, Southern Rain, overcame post eight for driver Bruce Ranger, wiring the field by one and one-half lengths in 1:58.3. Trained by Mike Deters for owner Mark Rorabeck of Nutrioso, Arizona, it was the fourth straight win for Southern Rain this year.
(Pompano)