Rich frosh races at PPK

Pompano Park offered the nation’s richest Daily Double races on Wednesday -- each with a purse of $30,000 -- two divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old trotters. The first race colt and gelding division was won by Blake Island ($15.80), and then Wandering Dream ($5.20) won the second race -- and the resulting 6-5 Daily Double combination paid $40.40 for a $2 wager.

The first race saw Blake Island and driver Wally Hennessey shoot to the lead before the quarter pole, where Timer (Tom Haughton) got a two-hole trip. They raced Indian-file for the rest of the mile, but Timer went off-stride at the three-quarter mile mark and Blake Island pulled away to a 4 3/4-length triumph in 2:01. Smothers (Bruce Ranger) finished second and Esprit Cheval (Robert Williams Jr.) finished third.

It was the first lifetime victory after four starts for Blake Island, a son of Wewering, bred and owned by John Campagnuolo of Loxahatchee, Fla. and trained by Kim Sears.

Then, in the second race, Cracker Moon Pie (Hennessey) took the early lead and Wandering Dream (Ranger) got a two-hole trip. Ranger waited until the three-quarter pole to move out of the pocket to challenge Cracker Moon Pie, and then blew the field away and won by 8 1/2 lengths in 2:03.2. Cracker Moon Pie finished second and Sweet Mellisa (Tom Wantz) finished third.

Sired by Crown Can, it was the second win and a lifetime mark for Wandering Dream, who is owned by Michael Polansky of Loudonville, N.Y. and is trained by Tom Harmer.

Both Blake Island and Wandering Dream are now eligible to win the $100,000 Bonus Award from Pompano Park and the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association -- if they can win the remaining four finals of the Florida Sire Stakes this fall.

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