Alice Springs wins ninth straight in Sunshine final

Alice Springs left little doubt that she is the class of the Florida-bred 2-year-old filly pacing division on Friday when capturing the $14,000 Sunshine State Stakes final at Pompano Park to sweep the six-race series and remain unbeaten in nine career starts.

Driven from post five by Wally Hennessey, Alice Springs briefly settled in third place through the early stages of the Friday final before making her customary drive to the front on the first turn, wrestling the lead away from Allee T (Kevin Wallis) as that one reached the quarter mile marker in :28.4.

With the top spot comfortably in her control, Alice Springs slowed things down as she 
confidently made her way down the backstretch, coasting through middle fractions of :59.2 and 1:28.4.

The daughter of first-crop sire N Aboriginal entered the stretch with a one-length advantage, and quickly opened up on her overmatched rivals, pulling away down the lane to score by 3 ¼ lengths in 1:56.4, with a final panel that was clocked in :28. Allee T crossed the wire second while Howard’s Baby (Bruce Ranger) finished third.

Owned by Ciara Stable and Michael Polansky, and trained by Tom Harmer, Alice Springs has visited the winner’s circle in all nine of her lifetime outings, including a victory in each leg of the Sunshine State Stakes, sweeping the six-race series by a combined 19 ¼ lengths.

With her victory in Friday’s final, Alice Springs remains eligible for a share of the $100,000 bonus offered by the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association that is split amongst any juvenile that prevails in each of the Florida Sire Stakes finals. Earlier this season, Alice Springs captured the $36,775 Florida Stallion Stakes final.

Lucy Lucy ($6.60) notched her fourth straight victory on Friday when taking the $14,000 Sunshine State Stakes final for 3-year-old Florida-bred filly pacers in a career best 1:54.1.

Owned by Jay and Kim Sears, and driven by Ranger, Lucy Lucy powered her way to the front in mid-stretch to take the lead from race favorite Leavembehind (Hennessey) and prevail by 4 ¼ lengths at the wire. Windswept Star (Daryl Bier) got up in the final yards to finish second while Leavembehind had to settle for third.

Sweet Melissa ($6.20) staked her claim as the top sophomore female trotter in Florida on Friday when prevailing in that division’s $14,000 Sunshine State Stake
s final.

Owned by Deborah Wantz and trainer Tom Wantz, and driven by Wallis, Sweet Melissa enjoyed a perfect pocket trip while tracking Crown Candle (Tom Haughton), angling off the pylons in mid-stretch to catch and pass that rival, scoring by a length in 2:00.1. Crown Candle and Famous Lady (Hennessey) rounded out the top three. (Pompano Park)

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