Pompano dead-heat finish sets record

Not even the photo finish camera could separate You’re Next ($6.60) and Gale Warning ($2.40) as the two horses finished in a track record fastest dead-heat win finish Wednesday at the isle pompano park.

After a dramatic stretch duel, You’re Next and Gale Warning crossed the finish wire together in 1:55.1, surpassing the prior dead heat win record for trotters of 1:57.1 set on April 13, 1990 by Hypersonic and Forty-Five Caliber. At the time that mile was the world record for a fastest dead heat finish for trotters on a five-eighths mile track.

The $12,000 Open Trot saw Guy Gets Girl (Bruce Ranger) out kick You’re Next (Walter Ross Jr.) to the opening quarter mile in :27.4. But driver Wally Hennessey had Gale Warning on the move and they took command of the race as they passed the grandstand the first time and led the field to the half mile pole in :57.2.

Then after tripping the teletimer at the three-quarter mile marker in 1:25.4 the race heated up as Ross moved first-over from third place and began to challenge Gale Warning.

Coming down the stretch, You’re Next started to take a slight lead but Hennessey went to work on Gale Warning, urging his horse on and he responded by coming back to take a head lead but with 10 yards to the wire Ross and You’re Next came on again and the two horses finished in a dead heat for win. Guy Gets Girl was third.

For You’re Next, a 6-year-old gelded son of Yankee Paco, it was his third win in four starts this year for trainer Fred Cohen and owner Andrew Sassen of Coral Springs. It was also a lifetime mark for You’re Next.

Gale Warning, a 5-year-old gelding by Strong Gale, posted his sixth win this year for trainer Michile Lorenzo. Ron Lorenzo, Ciro Gentile and the Pomtambo Stable of Boca Raton own Gale Warning.

There were three divisions of the opening round of the Florida Sunshine State Stakes for 3-year-old trotters Wednesday.

The first leg for filly trotters saw driver Ranger take Discreet Encounter ($3.40) right to the front and wired the field to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:02.1 for a purse of $7,269.

Ranger and Discreet Encounter took the field to the quarter in .30.3 and trotted to the half-mile marker in 1:02.4. They reached the three-quarters in 1:32.3.

Better Goods (Robert Roberts) finished second with Strut (Dan Clements) finishing third.

It was the first win of the year for Discreet Encounter, a 3-year-old filly by Wewering, who is trained by Mike Deters and co-owns with James Armstrong of Coral Springs, Fla.

The 3-year-old Florida-Bred colts and geldings took the stage in the second race for a driving double for Ranger and a training double for Deters.

Famous Image (Ross) went to the top with Super Lotto (Deters) dropping in the two hole, and Southern Rain (Ranger) settling in the third spot. Ross and Famous Image trotted to the quarter pole in .30.2. As they headed down the stretch the first time, Super Lotto and Deters pulled to the outside as they moved first-over to the half in 1:01.3.  Ranger then moved with Southern Rain just before the three quarters in 1:32.2 as they came up on the outside and then sprinted home to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 2:01.1. The purse was $7,198 and Southern Rain paid $3.80 to win.

Southern Rain is a 3-year-old gelding by Wewering was making his 2008 debut after winning nine of 11 starts and $81,405 last year. He is trained by Deters and owned by Mark Rorabeck of Arizona.

Super Lotto (Deters), who is also trained by Deters, finished second and Famous Image (Ross) finished third.

Baileysirishdream ($3.60) and driver Robert Roberts took the $7,269 second division for 3-year-old fillies, going wire to wire in a mile of 2:00.2.

Roberts went right to the top and swung by the quarter in .30, then trotted to the half in 1:00.2.  Baileysirishdream stayed in command as they passed the three quarter mark in 1:29.4 and went on to win by 3 3/4 lengths.

This was the first win of the year for Baileysirishdream, who is sired by Matchem Hanover. She is also trained by Roberts and owned by Barbara Bailey of Deleon Springs. Famous Valentine (Hennessey) finished second with Guided Miss Tique (Veral Bowman) finishing third.

 Two drivers scored their pari-mutuel maiden victories on Wednesday. Robert Williams III, 23, of Pompano Beach, a fourth-generation horsemen, won the fourth race maiden pace with Sempre Ribera ($12.80) in 1:58.1 and then in the fifth race trot, William Owens, 51, of Odessa, set a lifetime mark with Smothers ($5.40) in 2:00. (Pompano Park)

« Back