Karpathos grinds out Pompano trot victory

Karpathos ($10.40) and driver Wally Hennessey were able to grind out an impressive three-quarter-length triumph over race favorite Brick in winning the $16,000 top trot at the Isle Pompano Park Monday.

It was the first live race card on Monday’s for the season. The Isle Pompano Park will now be open four nights a week for the fall-winter season every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

The feature race started off with Guy Gets Girl (Bruce Ranger) going to the early lead but before the opening quarter mile in :27.3, Karpathos has taken command. But that lead was short lived as Brick and driver Mickey McNichol were flying on the outside and they took away the lead from Karpathos and led the field to the half mile marker in :56.2.

Not to be outdone, Hennessey gave up the two-hole trip in the backstretch with Karpathos and came after Brick and collared him by the three-quarters in 1:26. The two horses then raced neck and neck down the stretch with Karpathos grinding out the victory by the finish in 1:56.2. Guy Gets Girl was third.

It was the seventh win this year for Karpathos, a 7-year-old gelding by Balanced Image, trained and owned by Geoff Howles of Pompano Beach.

The fastest trotting mile of the night when to Oratorio ($20.40) in the $10,000 trot for $15,000 to $20,000 claimers. Driven by Andy Santaramo, Oratorio took the lead by the opening quarter mile and held the field at bay, winning by 9 1/4 lengths in 1:55.2.

It was a lifetime mark for the 4-year-old gelding son of Yankee Paco, who is trained by Julie Bishop and recently claimed for $12,500 by the Joel Benson Stables of Ft. Lauderdale. Oratorio's time of 1:55.2 was just one fifth of a second from tying the track mark for his age and gait of 1:55.1 set by Talk About Me in 2006. (Pompano)

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