Mahdi wires field in 1:52 in Pompano feature

Mahdi ($4.20) and trainer/driver Joe Pavia, Jr. were much the best in capturing the $16,000 feature pace at the Isle Pompano Park Saturday, leading from start to finish in 1:52.

Starting from post five in the third race, Pavia sent Mahdi right after early race leader Armbro Dynamic (Wally Hennessey), who last week had wired the field. But Mahdi was the power horse, getting to the top by the opening quarter mile in :27.2.

Armbro Dynamic and Hennessey were content to sit the pocket-trip behind race favorite Mahdi past the half-mile marker in a leisurely :57.3. But as the field raced down the backstretch, the action began to heat up as Bruce Ranger pulled out from third place and began to make a rush towards Mahdi with two-time Isle of Capri Pace winner, He Wants It All.

After passing the three-quarter pole in 1:25.1, He Wants It All had collared Mahdi as the two horses raced neck and neck around the final turn, but in the stretch Pavia and Mahdi kicked in a :26.4 last quarter mile to put away He Wants It All as they went on to win by one and three-quarter lengths. Armbro Dynamic was second and He Wants It All faded to third place.

Co-owned by the BJR, AGC and Pavia Stables of Boca Raton, it was the second straight win and seventh victory of the year for Mahdi, a four-year-old gelded son of Ft. Apache Hanover.

The fastest mile of the night came in the second race $9,500 pace as ML’s Boy ($8.20) and driver/trainer Anthony Napolitano led from gate to wire in 1:51.3 for the Joel Benson Stables of Ft. Lauderdale. It was the fourth win this year for the seven-year-old gelding by Sportsmaster.

The victory was one of five winners on the night for Napolitano. (Pompano Park)

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