Rip finally wins PM race

Rip Rock And Roll finally won a pari-mutuel race after 98 career tries in four years of competition at Pompano Park Wednesday night. A 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding, bred, owned and trained by Ralph Collins, Rip Rock And Roll scored a 1 1/4-length victory in a $3,080 race for driver Justin Mahar.

The 25-1 longshot won in 1:56.4. He followed pacesetter Ten Times Wanted (Robert Williams Jr.) from the start and blew by the lead midway down the stretch. Class Action Scoot (Steve Oliwa) was second with Ten Times Wanted third.

“I’m real happy,” said Collins. “He has had his problems in the past and recently some people have helped me to try some different training methods and it has worked. I could never quit on this horse. I bred him, I’ve always known he had some hidden ability and maybe now he will continue winning ways. We will see next week.”

Back on Nov. 28, 2005, Rip Rock And Roll did win a purse race at Pompano Park in 1:57.3 but the race was a non-wagering event held after Hurricane Wilma.

There were two non-wagering races for 2-year-old Florida-bred trotters, each with a purse of $750. The colt and gelding division saw Smothers (Bruce Ranger), a gelded son of Keystone Smothers from the Flak Bait mare Mark of Quality, win in 2:06.3. Smothers is trained and co-owned by James Martin with William Owens of Odessa. The filly division saw Southern Breeze (Mel Turcotte) win in 2:06.3. The daughter of Wewering from the Royal Troubador mare B Neat is also trained and co-owned by Turcotte with Frances English.

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