Banker Ablaze by a nose

Banker Ablaze and driver Brett Miller had the lead when it mattered most, getting up in the shadow of the wire to win by a nose in 1:59.2 in the third race at Pompano Park Monday, a $7,000 Claiming Handicap Trot.

Content to settle in third place as post-time favorite Lovin For Money (Bruce Ranger) coasted through opening fractions of :29 and 1:01.1, Banker Ablaze was shuffled back to fifth as EC Express (Andy Santeramo) moved up first-over, with Daniello (Dein Spriggs) tracking that cover.

After a three-quarters split in 1:30, Lovin For Money began to falter on the front end, allowing the mare Fox Valley Mo Jo (Wally Hennessey), trotting in second, to angle out and inherit the lead coming out of the final turn.

Fox Valley Mo Jo appeared on the brink of victory in mid-stretch, but success proved elusive for the daughter of Vaporize, as Banker Ablaze was able to shake free late, and charged down the outside to score the narrow win. Orpha Lou (Anthony Napolitano) closed to finish third, beaten three lengths, while Lovin For Money checked in fourth.

The victory marked the second straight trip to the winner’s circle for Banker Ablaze, a 9-year-old son of Wall Street Banker, out of the Supergill mare, Blazing Gill. The gelding is owned by Carol Karter of Lake Worth, Florida, and is trained by Lawrence Nichols.

With the win, Banker Ablaze moved his career earnings to more than $200,000.

In the evening’s eighth event, a conditioned claiming pace with a purse of $4,800, driver Kevin Wallis guided Peter Mills to a front-end victory for owners Yvette Prudenzano and Basil Kellis, and trainer Linda Wallis.

Peter Mills cruised through fractions of :26.4, :55.2, and 1:24.2 before digging in late to prevail by a nose over a late charging Frontier (Richard Macomber Jr.) in 1:54.4, a lifetime best for the 4-year-old son of Tridium.

A winner of more than $58,000 in his sophomore season, Peter Mills ended a string of six consecutive runner-up performances on Monday while visiting the winner’s circle for the first time since August 2006. (Pompano Park)

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