Madhi breaks Pompano mark for 3-year-old pacers

Mahdi set the Pompano Park track record for a 3-year-old gelded pacer on Saturday when prevailing in the $6,500 non-winners pace in 1:51.1 to top the previous mark of 1:51.3 set by Spin Mogul on Aug. 3,  2002.

Guided from post two by Anthony Napolitano, Mahdi was content to settle in fourth place through the early stages of the race as Sopando (Kevin Wallis) showed the way through brisk opening fractions of :26.3 and :54.4.

As the field made its journey down the backstretch, Mahdi was angled off the pylons to attack from the outside, grinding away at Sopando as that one reached the three-quarters marker in 1:23 before yielding the lead to Tutor Hanover (Bruce Ranger) , who vacated the pocket on the final turn to claim the top spot.

Tutor Hanover entered the stretch with a one-length lead over a weakening Sopando, but was quickly engaged by Mahdi, and the pair matched strides down the lane, pacing in tandem through the final yards before Mahdi thrust his neck in front in the shadow of the wire to claim victory.

Mahdi returned $4.40, $2.20, and $2.10 for the record-setting win. Tutor Hanover paid $3 and $2.40 for second, while Sopando brought in $2.60 for third.

Owned and bred by Tanah Merah Farms LLC of Springfield, Ill., and trained by Lyle McGilveary, Mahdi is now the fastest sophomore pacer in the history of Pompano Park, as his time of 1:51.1 also surpassed the 3-year-old colt record of 1:51.2, which was set by Beach Towel in November of 1990.

Mahdi is an Illinois-bred son of Ft Apache Hanover, out of the Cole Muffler mare One Sure Thing.

No Nonsense Yankee ($2.60) , who set the Pompano Park track record for a 4-year-old gelded pacer when scoring last week in 1:50.1, returned to the winner’s circle for the second straight time on Saturday when prevailing in the featured $14,000 Open Handicap Pace in 1:52.

Driven by Wally Hennessey for Despina Powell and Mike Deters, No Nonsense Yankee led at every call en route to victory, cutting out fractions of :28.1, :57, and 1:24.4, before coming home in :27.2 to post a 1 ½-length triumph.

The son of Jenna’s Beach Boy has prevailed in 11 of 37 starts this year, and will close out his 2007 campaign with seasonal earnings of $79,989, and a lifetime bankroll of $99,968. (Pompano)

« Back