Dum smart in PPK win

A cool and breezy evening by South Florida standards couldn’t prevent Tweedle Dum from putting forth another sizzling performance at Pompano Park on Friday, as the gelding took the $25,000 second leg of the Mack Lobell Trotting Series in 1:54.

Driven from the rail by his regular pilot Walter Ross Jr., Tweedle Dum briefly battled for the lead with Dink Adoo (Wally Hennessey) before assuming his customary spot on the front-end entering the first turn.

“I kind of figured he would be on the muscle having the rail,” winning driver Ross said. “Wally was moving pretty good with Dink Adoo, and I would have taken the two-hole trip if I had to, but my horse was all fired up and wanted to go.”

Tweedle Dum took the field through an opening quarter mile in :27.3, before slowing things down with a :29.1 second panel to pass the half-mile marker in :56.4. Dink Adoo was content tracking the leader from the pocket while Battleshoe Victor (Brett Miller) settled in third.

Positions remained unchanged down the backstretch, as Tweedle Dum cleared three-quarters in 1:25.2.

Entering the final turn, the anticipated two-horse battle between Tweedle Dum and Dink Adoo, the one-two finishers from the first leg of the series, began to take shape, as those rivals opened up three lengths on the rest of the field.

“Wally has an excellent horse, and of course, I knew he was on my back,” Ross said. “But when I pulled the earplugs about halfway through the turn, my horse swelled right back up again, and off he went.”

Leaving the final turn, Dink Adoo was angled off the pylons to attack from the outside, but Tweedle Dum would not budge, and began to trot clear of that rival in deep-stretch before prevailing by 1 ¾ lengths at the wire.

"He’s an amazing horse,” Ross said. “And tonight he was feeling really good.”

Tweedle Dum returned $3.20, $2.10 for the victory while Dink Adoo paid $2.20 for second. Battleshoe Victor finished third. There was no show wagering offered on the race.

With the victory, Tweedle Dum extended his current winning streak to three, and the gelding has now visited the winner’s circle in 23 of his last 27 starts.

The 7-year-old son of Star Challenge pushed his career earnings mark over $240,000 and has banked $35,000 in four starts this year for owners Diane Norris and Alfred Brotter of Pompano Beach and trainer Gordon Norris.

The $150,000 Mack Lobell Trotting Series will conclude with the $75,000 added final on Feb. 24.

In the evening’s secondary feature, All About Maggie went from last to first to take the $10,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace, although the photo finish camera was needed to determine the winner.

Driven from post five by Matthew Kakaley, All About Maggie was allowed to settle in sixth place through the opening half mile before following the cover provided by Hypnotize as the field moved down the backstretch.

After a tough first-over journey, Hypnotize made the lead at the top of the stretch and opened up a two-length advantage in mid-stretch, but could not hold off the late three-wide assault from All About Maggie, who would put her nose in front in the final yards to prevail in 1:54.1.

Owned by Rene Nadon of Pompano Beach and trained by Richard Lauzon, All About Maggie has won two of her last three starts, and hasn’t finished worse than second in her last eight outings. (Pompano Park)

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