He wants to defend title

He Wants It All, the two-time defending Isle of Capri Pace Final winner, and Load The Dice, the recent Presidential Series Final runner-up, headline a field of 10 pacers that will line up for the $50,000 first leg of the Isle of Capri Pacing Series, which will go as the fourth race from Pompano Park on Saturday.

He Wants It All enters the first leg of the 2007 series off a second-place performance in the $20,000 Isle of Capri Preview. The 7-year-old son of The Big Dog had the lead in mid-stretch of that event, only to give way in the final yards and miss by a half-length.

Coupled in the wagering with Star Role, He Wants It All has been installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite. Wally Hennessey will handle the driving assignment from post five for trainer Tom Harmer.

Load The Dice enters the first leg of the Isle of Capri Pacing Series off a second-place effort in the $116,000 Presidential Series final at the Meadowlands. The son of Cam’s Card Shark has won eight of his last 11 starts, including a victory two starts ago where he ended the eight-race winning streak of Nuclear Breeze in the second leg of the Presidential.

Load The Dice and He Wants It All met four times at Balmoral Park last year, with Load The Dice prevailing three times, including consecutive triumphs in October where He Wants It All crossed the wire second.

Driven from post nine by Pompano Park’s leading driver Bruce Ranger, Load The Dice is listed as the 3-1 second choice in the morning line.

Maltese Artist is the top money earner in Saturday’s field with over $865,000 banked during his career. In his most recent start, the Isle of Capri Preview, the son of Artiscape finished fourth, beaten two lengths for the victory. It was the 6-year-old gelding’s first outing since a sixth-place effort in the $85,000 Pacing Classic at Dover Downs on Nov. 6, 2006.

Maltese Artist will start from post four with Brett Miller at the helm for trainer Mickey Burke.

JK Big Shot, the upset winner of the Isle of Capri Preview, will start in the Saturday feature for trainer Gary Lemaister. The 4-year-old son of The Panderosa has won three of his last four outings, and will start from post two with Anthony Napolitano at the controls.

The Isle of Capri Pacing Series continues with the $50,000 second leg on Feb. 17 and will culminate with the $150,000 added final on Feb. 24. (Pompano)

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