Harness and Case win Mildred Williams Series divisions

February 15, 2009

Nichole Harness, a third generation horsewoman from Beaver, Ohio, got to fly for the first time on a jet plane, got to swim for the first time in an ocean and also scored her first pari-mutuel harness racing victory on Saturday at the Isle Pompano Park. Harness won the fourth race second division of the Mildred Williams Driving Series for women.

Nichole Harness posted her first pari-mutuel victory with the pacer Rif Raf Star in a division of the Mildred Williams Series.
The $7,000 pace saw Kelly Case, with Casey�s Bonanza, go right to the early lead from post four with Cash In Your Chips (Gro Gormia) grabbing the pocket trip while Peter Mills (Megan Fortna) was parked out first-over and Nichole Harness was sitting fourth on the rail with Rif Raf Star.

Casey�s Bonanza led the field through fractions of :28.4, :58.4 and 1:27.2 before Peter Mills began to fade on the final turn. It was then that Harness made her move with Rif Raf Star, pulling to the outside, collaring Casey�s Bonanza in the stretch and then blowing by them to win by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:56.2. Casey�s Bonanza was second with Cash In Your Chips third. Sent off at odds of 14-1, Rif Raf Star paid $31.00 to win.

�This has been quite a weekend,� said Harness, age 22. �How exciting to be able to win in my first race ever here.�

Rif Raf Star, a 9-year-old gelding by Stubby B, is trained by Jimmy Salerno and is owned by Don Locricchio. It was Rif Raf Star�s second win this year.

In the second race first division, a $7,000 trot, Muscle For Hire ($4.60) and driver Kelly Case made a three-wide move on the final turn from sixth place and then pulled away from the field to win in 1:59.3 by 2-1/2 lengths. Southern Beauty (Megan Fortna) was second with pacesetter CSI Mrs Lavec (Gro Formia) third.

It was the second win this year for Muscle For Hire, a 9-year-old gelding by Muscles Yankee, trained by Jamie Paquet and owned by Wayne Lockwood and Jamie Paquet. For Kelly Case, who competes at Pompano Park, it was her 764th career win.

The Mildred Williams Driving Series, in its fourth year of competition, competes at more than 30 tracks across North America. All of the women competing donate their winnings to the track's local charity. The Isle Pompano Park raised more than $2,500 from the event that went to the Gilda�s House of South Florida, a free community center for cancer victims.

The fastest mile on the evening took place in the third race $16,000 Open Handicap Pace. Vapor In The Wind ($8.60) and driver Ricky Macomber, Jr. enjoyed a pocket trip behind I Can Only Imagine (Bruce Ranger), who cut fractions of :26.2, :54.3 and 1:22 before Macomber pulled the pocket and shot by the leader to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:50.1. Sahara Hall (Anthony Napolitano) was second with I Can Only Imagine third.

It was the fastest mile this year at the Isle Pompano Park and the fastest mile on any five-eighths-mile track in North America in 2009. Owned by the Tanah Merah Farms and trained by Richard Macomber, Vapor In The Wind is a 5-year-old gelded son of Cole Muffler. He has now won six of his last seven starts. (Pompano)

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