Pompano announces nominations for trio of rich series

Nominations for the $350,000 Isle of Capri Pacing Series, the $100,000 Mack Lobell Trotting Series, and the inaugural $100,000 Frances Dodge Van Lennep Filly and Mare Pacing Series have been released by Pompano Park race secretary Greg DeFrank.

The 10^th edition of the Isle of Capri Pacing Series, which features a $250,000-added final that represents a $100,000 increase from last year, has attracted 34 potential starters, headlined by recent $126,500 Presidential Series final winner Mr. Feelgood.

Owned by Brittany Farms, Lindy Farms, and John Fodera, and trained by Jimmy Takter, Mr. Feelgood boasts a career bankroll of $786,999, a bulk of which came in 2006 when the son of Grinfromeartoear amassed over $594,000 in earnings while prevailing eight times, including a victory in the Little Brown Jug.

Trainer Mickey Burke has nominated the 7-year-old millionaire pacer Maltese Artist to the Isle of Capri Pacing Series for the ownership of Sylvia Burke, John Howard, and James Koran.

Maltese Artist has made two previous appearances in the Isle of Capri Pacing Series, crossing the wire second in the 2005 final, before returning last year with another runner-up performance. The son of Falcon Seelster closed out 2007 with four consecutive victories, completing his campaign with a win in the $205,000 American National at Balmoral Park.

Hugo Iodice’s Special Report, the recent third-place finisher in the Presidential Series final, has been nominated to the Isle of Capri Pacing Series by trainer Kim Asher. The 6-year-old son of Keystone Raider was a 10-time winner last year with over $339,000 in seasonal earnings, and prevailed in his first three outings of 2008 before missing by a neck to Mr. Feelgood in the Presidential final on January 26.

Other notables nominated to the Isle of Capri Pacing Series include He Wants It All, a two-time Isle of Capri final winner that prevailed in the 2005 and 2006 editions; Load the Dice, who captured last year’s Isle of Capri final in a track record time of 1:49.3; Forensic Z Tam, the third-place finisher in last year’s Breeders Crown 3-year-old colt pace; and My Boy David, a millionaire pacer and world-record holder.

The Mack Lobell Trotting Series has attracted 24 nominees, headlined by last year’s winner Tweedle Dum, who swept through the 2007 series, including a 1:53.2 victory in the preview, which at the time equaled a world record for an older gelding on a five-eighths mile track.

Owned by Diane Norris and Alfred Brotter, and trained by Gordon Norris, Tweedle Dum has prevailed in 27 of 38 starts over the past two seasons, and in 2006 the gelding led the nation in trotting victories when visiting the Pompano Park winner’s circle 21 times.

The 5-year-old mare Birminghim has been nominated to the Mack Lobell Trotting Series by conditioner Harald Lunde. A winner of $712,591 over her three-year racing career, the daughter of Striking Sahbra prevailed in 1:57.2 at Pompano Park last year, using that victory has a steppingstone to a triumph in the prestigious Queen’s Trophy at Aby racetrack in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Other notables nominated to the Mack Lobell Trotting Series include the mare Buck I St. Pat, a winner of $328,500 last year highlighted by a victory in the $250,000 Classic Oaks at Mohawk; Dunkster, a multiple stakes-winning son of Striking Sahbra with over $773,000 in lifetime earnings; Dink Adoo, the second-place finisher in last year’s Mack Lobell final; and Hellava Hush, a millionaire trotter that captured the series final in 2006.

The inaugural Frances Dodge Van Lennep Filly and Mare Pacing Series has attracted 29 potential starters, including last year’s Breeders Crown Filly and Mare Open Pace runner-up Double Dream N, and Miss Galvinator A, a 14-time winner in 2007 that boasts a career bankroll of $896,661.

The Isle of Capri Pacing Series will begin with the $20,000 preview on Feb. 9. The series will continue with the $50,000 first leg on Feb. 16, the $50,000 second leg on Feb. 23, and will culminate with the $267,000 final, the richest harness race in Florida, on March 1.

The Mack Lobell Trotting Series will commence with the $20,000 preview on Feb. 11 and will include the $25,000 first leg on Feb. 18, the $25,000 second leg on Feb. 25, with the $54,800 final scheduled for March 3.

The Frances Dodge Van Lennep Filly and Mare Pacing Series starts with the $20,000 preview on Feb. 8, continues with the $25,000 first leg on Feb. 15, the $25,000 second leg on Feb. 22, with the $55,800 final scheduled for Feb. 29. (Pompano Park)

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