Mack Lobell Series opens

Track record holders Chucaro Ahijuna and Damon Runyon made four- and three-wide sweeping moves, respectively, on the final turn to capture their $17,500 divisions of the opening round of the Mack Lobell Trotting Series Friday at Pompano Park.



After a three-quarters in 1:25.3 race favorite Hellava Hush (Steve condren) tipped three-wide and on the final turn Chucaro Ahijuna (Kevin Wallis)went four-wide with the flow and those two battled down the stretch with Chucaro Ahijuna pulling away from the field to win by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:55.2. Hellava Hush held for second with Double Eagle Wally Hennessey) third.



A 14-race winner last year, Chucaro Ahijuna's time of 1:55.2 was just one-fifth of a second off his track record set at Pompano Park last year for older horses. The 8-year-old Argentinean-bred stallion by Noble Speedster posted his first win in four starts this year for the Berry Stables and trainer Paul Bernardo.



In the second division Damon Runyon (Hennessey) followed cover in the out flow past the three quarters 1:27.2 then tipped three-wide on the final turn. As the field came down the stretch Bubba Dunn (Bob Harper)had the lead but began to tire. Damon Runyon and Sweet Count (Tom Sells) battled it out with Damon Runyon winning by a neck in 1:57.1. A late closing Beepbeep Move Over (George Napolitano, Jr.) was third.



It was the third win in five starts for Damon Runyon, who won the Mack Lobell final in 2003. The eight-year-old gelding by Cumin is owned by Carol Karter and is trained by Lawrence Nichols.

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