Even with a Post 10 trailing start and being pitted against nine older rivals, three-year-old South Florida sensation Bling could not be stopped on the Friday evening program at The Isle Pompano Park
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Bruce Ranger wheeled the Mark Friedman-trained miss to the lead going into the final turn of the $9,350 purse event. The daughter of Scoot Outa Reach-C The Glory had tracked second-over behind Cherry Bomb with Andy Santeramo to overtake the pacemaker Lets Talk About Me with Mickey McNichol after a pace of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:24.3. Once Bling was clear of the field on the final turn she kept widening her advantage to the finish to win the Fillies and Mares Open-2 test in 1:53.1. Roxanna Hanover, with Walt Ross, Jr. followed next under the wire with St Pattys Love and Wally Hennessey finishing third.
Bling has amassed five wins in eight starts this year for Polo Stables of Boca Raton, Florida. This was her first start since she just missed the track record by a fifth of a second in the Florida Sunshine State Stakes Final on October 2.
Lady Luck Le Ru pulled a mild 3-1 upset in the $4,500 purse opening round of the Orange Blossom Series for Florida bred two-year-old pacing fillies. Wally Hennessey was in the pocket all the way with the Matts Amore-Cover Girl Le Ru filly before tipping out in mid-stretch to haul down 1-9 favourite Help Me Howard with Bruce Ranger. Kim Sears trains Lady Luck Le Ru for Don Soderstrom of Deland, Florida. In this 1:58.3 mile Perfect Design with Walt Ross, Jr. was third.
Hennessey amassed the driving triple on the card as Chapsboots N Spurs won the $13,000 Mares Open Pace for a second straight week. She re-took the lead after the quarter and held off heavy late pressure from Shytown Lightning with Andy Santeramo to score in 1:52.4, with Alice Springs in rein to Bruce Ranger a locked-in third. Dan Hennessey trains the five-year-old mare for Shirley and Don Heck of Carmel, Indiana.
In the Friday night $13,000 Open Trot, persistence finally paid off for Battleshoe Victor. In his three previous starts of the current meet he’d endured first-over trips but this week he was hustled to the front early. The Valley Victor-B Crysta seven-year-old responded in a big way easily score in 1:54.3 as Bruce Ranger racked up three winners on the program. Tom Harmer trains Battleshoe Victor for Michael Polansky of Loudonville, Kentucky. Longshot Duke Of Stormont, with Walt Ross, Jr. followed second under the wire and returned $65.00 to place. Diva Diva with Andy Santeramo up finished third.
The Friday evening program at The Isle Pompano Park saw the implementation of the track’s free program policy for it’s live cards to the on-track patrons and horsepeople. Director Of Racing Operations John Yinger toured the track and accompanying casino teletheatre room as well as the backstretch, and reported an overwhelmingly positive response to the initiative from customers and horsepeople alike.
(Pompano Park)