The owners of three Florida Breeders Stake winners Saturday at the Isle Pompano Park will share in a $100,000 bonus award as Whosgoinwhosstayin, Pearl Of Capri and Goldstar Rosie each won their respective finals. The trainers of each horse will also share in a $10,000 bonus award.
It was Super Night at the track with eight championship finals for two and three-year-old Florida-sired trotters and pacers. The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and Isle Pompano Park sponsor the $110,000 in bonus awards. Torrid rainstorms made the track sloppy throughout the night.
Whosgoinwhosstayin, remained undefeated and posted his 12th straight win in the fifth race $51,175 final for two-year-old trotting colts with a two and three-quarter length triumph for driver Mickey McNichol.
Be Lachek and driver Wally Hennessey was first on the lead with J S Victory (Bruce Ranger) in second place by the opening quarter mile. But McNichol was on the move on the outside with Whosgoinwhosstayin and they took command of the race in front of the grandstand.
As the field entered into the backstretch, Hennessey came first-over with Be Lachek and was able to grind it out on the final turn and collar Whosgoinwhosstayin midway in the stretch but broke stride and finished third. J S Victory was second. Whosgoinwhosstayin covered the mile in 2:03.3.
Sired by Basil, bred by Chris and Sophia Valkanoff and co-owned with their trainer, Linda Kakaley, of Pompano Beach, Whosgoinwhosstayin closes out his race season with earnings of $77,262 plus their share of the bonus award.
"Little did we know when we bred this horse that he would be a champion," said Sophia Valkanoff. "My husband and I have been in the horse business for 20 years and never had a horse this good. And this was one of the first ones we ever bred. We named him after Chris's father, Smity. He used to always ask his grandkids, who's going who's staying when we were going to the racetrack. So when this foal was board we asked our children what should we name him and they came up with the name."
Also sharing in the bonus is Pearl Of Capri, who posted her tenth straight win in the third race $51,000 final for two-year-old trotting fillies. Driven by Dan Clements, Pearl Of Capri led from start to finish over the sloppy, rain-soaked track and won by four and three-quarter lengths in 2:05. The pocket-sitting Wecandoit (Stephen Oliwa) was second with Diamond Doll (Frank O'Mara) third.
Frank and Inge Smith of Deerfield Beach, bred and own Pearl Of Capri, who is the first horse they have ever bred. Sired by Famously, Pearl Of Capri is trained by Veral Bowman, has 10 wins in 12 starts and earnings of $79,996.
"She's a perfect 10," said Frank Smith. "And I knew she would win tonight. She is such a special filly because she is the first one we ever bred. We only got into the horse racing business in 2004 and it has been great. My neighbor and good friend and our trainer, Veral Bowman, got us into the business and now we have 25 horses. We just love this sport and what a great season this has been."
The third winner to share in the bonus award was Goldstar Rosie, who won the first race $64,350 final for two-year-old pacing fillies. She led from the start and won in a romp by six and one-quarter lengths for driver Dan Clements. Bling (Mel Turcotte) had a perfect two-hole trip and was second with Callies Sweetheart (Wally Hennessey) third after a valiant first-over move after the half mile.
Tom Audley of Bell bred and trains Goldstar Rosie, who is sired by Rock On. Audley co-owns the filly with Jamie Marra of Delray Beach and Beth Levine of Boynton Beach. It was the seventh win in eight starts for Goldstar Rosie, who has earned $80,483.
"I was so nervous about this race all day," Audley said. "I even twisted my ankle in the horse trailer this morning and can barely walk. But what a great filly she is and we get the bonus award too. What a season. It was just a month ago she nearly died from an illness and now she has come back to be a champion."
Audley, who refused medical treatment for his ankle, waited until he saw his filly race before he was taken away by ambulance because of his injury.
In the fourth race $65,500 final for two-year-old pacing colts, Storming Howard and driver Bruce Ranger were able to come first-over at the half mile against pacesetter Im Fine (Wally Hennessey) and grind their way the rest of the mile, coming on in mid stretch and just getting up at the wire by a neck in 1:56.3. Tough Cassidy (Anthony Napolitano) was third as the pocket-sitting Time To Scoot (Dan Clements) was locked in the entire stretch and could not find any room to mount a challenge.
It was the sixth win this year for Storming Howard, a gelded son of Mannart Howard, trained by Michile Lorenzo and co-owned by Rod Lorenzo, William Hancock, Jr., Ciro Gentile and the Pomtambo Stable of Boca Raton.
Southern Rain saw his reign come to an end in the eighth race $63,440 final for three-year-old trotting colts as his 12-race winning streak was snapped by his stable mate, Super Lotto and driver Wally Hennessey in 1:58.4.
Super Lotto left from post eight to take early command of the race until Southern Rain and driver Bruce Ranger came first-up to take the lead after the half mile pole. Then as the field came to the three-quarter mile marker, Hennessey came out and challenged Southern Rain, taking the lead by the top of the stretch and winning by one and three-quarter lengths. Southern Rain held for second with Trot Monster (Joe Pavia, Jr.) third.
Sired by Wewering, Super Lotto is trained by Mike Deters, who co-owns him with James Armstrong of Coral Springs. It was Super Lotto's third win this year.
Alice Springs had little trouble capturing the sixth race $61,988 final for three-year-old pacing fillies, wiring the field by four open lengths for driver Wally Hennessey in 1:56.4. Allee T (Bruce Ranger) was second with Just Be Original (Dan Clements) third.
The 2007 two-year-old champion, Alice Springs posted her sixth straight win in 2008 for trainer Tom Harmer. The Ciara Stable and Michael Polansky own the daughter of N Aboriginal, who has now won 18 of her 19 career starts.
In the ninth race $68,800 final for three-year-old pacing colts, McRyan Michael and trainer/driver Joe Pavia, Jr. came first-over in the backstretch against pacesetter Alligator Alley (Wally Hennessey), taking the lead away and winning by two and one-half lengths in 1:53. Alligator Alley was second with Sodys Moonshine (Bruce Ranger) third.
Recently purchased by the BJR Stables, AGC Stables, Steve Held and Mark Rich, McRyan Michael is a gelded son of Mannart Howard and posted his sixth win this year.
The tenth race $50,000 final stake of the evening saw Baileysirishdream and trainer/driver Robert Roberts hold the field at bay as they won by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:59.1. Indigo Swirl (Bruce Ranger) sat a pocket-trip to be second with Strut (Mickey McNichol) third.
It was the eighth win this year for Baileysirishdream, who is sired by Matchem Hanover and was bred and is owned by Barbara Bailey of Deleon Springs.
The Isle Pompano Park Track Superintendent, J D Thomas, and his crew were credited with doing a superb job in maintaining the racing surface despite rainstorms the entire evening.
(Pompano Park)