Seven straight deserves front page star

Front Page Star ($2.80) certainly deserves front page coverage as the winningest horse at the Isle Pompano Park in 2009 posted his seventh straight win Monday.

Driven by Anthony Napolitano, Front Page Star started from post four in the $4,500 pace and got away in fifth place as Leutenant General (Bruce Ranger) left from post eight to take the early lead with Sports N Splendor (Fern Paquet Jr.) in second place to the opening quarter mile in :27.

But before the half-mile marker in :55.3, Sports N Splendor quarter moved to take the lead back from Leutenant General as Sultan Of Suede (Kevin Wallis) came first-over with Front Page Star following the outside flow. Then as the field started up the backstretch, Ranger pulled the pocket with Leutenant General to regain the lead and Napolitano swept around Sultan Of Suede by the three-quarters in 1:24.2.

It then looked to be a two-horse battle down the stretch but Front Page Star showed he was the strong horse, blowing by a tiring Leutenant General to win going away by 2 1/4 lengths. A late-closing Buttler (Richard Simard) was second with Leutentant General third in 1:53.2.

It was a lifetime mark for Front Page Star, a 9-year-old gelding by Stubby B, who had moved up in class in posting his seventh straight win in eight starts this year for trainer Paul Holzman and owner/wife, Mary, of New Hudson, Mich.

Blessed Victory ($8) made it two straight in the $16,000 Open Handicap Trot for driver Dan Clements, grinding it out from the backstretch against Karpathos (Wally Hennessey) and then holding off Slave Dream (David Ingraham) in the stretch to win by one length in 1:55. Rate Exchange (Napolitano) was third.

It was a lifetime mark and the fifth win in nine starts this year for Blessed Victory, who is trained and leased by Bill Gallagher of Pompano Beach with Victoria Jackson-Carinda of Wellington. (Pompano Park) 

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