Pompano set to open Friday with Sunshine State Stakes

Undefeated Whosgoinwhosstayin heads the Isle Pompano Park Harness Track’s opening night card on Friday as the track ushers in its 45th anniversary season of horse racing.

Post time is 7:25 pm for Florida’s only nighttime horse racing track. The opening program features more than $60,000 in stakes events with the Florida Sunshine State Stakes for 2 and 3-year-old trotters and pacers. The track will be open every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for live harness racing with free admission.

Whosgoinwhosstayin will be trying for his seventh straight victory for driver Mickey McNichol. In his last start Whosgoinwhosstayin won by 9 1/2 lengths for owners Linda Kakaley and Sophia Valkanoff of Pompano Beach. The gelded son of Basil starts from post five in one of five early non-wagering sire stakes that start at 6 p.m.

Of the 11-races on the pari-mutuel program, five are Sunshine State Stakes.

New this season is the track’s new whipping rule—first of its kind in North America—which calls for the drivers in any type of race to never put the reins in one hand in order to strike a horse with a whip at any time during the race. The new rule was first brought to track management by the heads of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and has been endorsed by the leading drivers at the track.

An official 45th anniversary celebration will take place at the Isle during the first week of February, kicking off on Wednesday, Feb. 4, exactly 45 years to the day that the track first opened.

“We are very excited about this new season,” said Michael Bloom, Isle’s vice president and general manager “There are a lot of great events in store for our guests throughout the year and we will continue to provide a major first class entertainment destination for everyone to enjoy.” (Pompano)

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