Mai Tai Guy comes up sweet in Pompano victory

Making his first pari-mutuel start after a five-month freshening, Mai Tai Guy ($4.60) showed up ready, willing and more than able in his return at the Isle Casino & Racing at Pompano Park Wednesday night.

The 3-year-old Ohio-bred colt by Towners Big Guy from the Falcon Almahurst mare, Elizabeth Street, quarter-pole moved to the front after a :27.3 opening panel, seized control in front of the grandstand and never faced an anxious moment, stopping the teletimer in 1:53.4, the fastest mile of the night.

A solid player on the Ohio Sire Stakes circuit as a 2 year old in 2007, Mai Tai Guy ended his freshman season with four wins and four seconds from 12 starts and earnings of over $32,000. He took his previous lifetime mark, at Scioto Downs on Aug. 8, pacing a mile in 1:55.4. His debut effort at Pompano park on Wednesday night shaved a full two seconds off that mark.

Owned by Bruce and Trish Soulsby of Ohio and trainer-driver Rick Schaut of Florida, and bred by the Cool Winds Farm of Ohio, Mai Tai Guy is a half brother to another Schaut trainee, Murphs Tiki Bar 1:52.2, by Nobleland Sam.

Bruce Ranger, the meet's leading driver, followed his six-win night on Monday with a driving double Wednesday night. He was victorious in the 5^th race with Crispy Cream ($3.20) for trainer Mike Landolfi and owner Ellis Miller of Florida in 1:58.4, and captured the 9^th race with the Maurice Bazinet-owned; Marc Major trained trotter Pathway Dot Com ($2.80) in 1:58.

Top pacing mares highlight the Friday evening program as the $55,800 Francis Dodge Van Lennep series winner, My Perfect Rhyme, makes her return after a three-week hiatus. She will start from post eight with Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey at the controls for trainer Erv Miller. A field of eight will go postward that includes last weeks winner Hypnotize, post six, for trainer Jim Mattison, and Tintabella N, bumping up to the top level for trainer Jenny Bier off a solid gate to wire romp in 1:53.2. (Pompano Park)

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