Stakes horses qualify at Pompano

Friday morning qualifiers at Pompano featured several horses that are eyeing a spot behind the starting gate for one of the three upcoming stakes events at the South Florida oval.

The 5-year-old trotting mare and Mack Lobell Trotting Series hopeful Buck I St Pat covered the mile in 1:55.3 when capturing her qualifying heat by 6 3/4 lengths with Ricky Macomber Jr. at the lines. The daughter of Jailhouse Jesse was making her first appearance on the track since finishing third to Vivid Photo in the Patriot Invitational Trot at Colonial Downs on October 13.

In that same qualifying race, last year’s Mack Lobell final winner Tweedle Dum cut the mile in :27.3, :56.2, and 1:25 .2 before going off-stride on the final turn and crossing the wire third.

Three races later, the millionaire pacer and Isle of Capri Pacing Series contender Maltese Artist won his qualifying heat in 1:53.4, leading from gate to wire to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths with Ronald Burke at the controls.

The son of Artiscape finished second in last year’s Isle of Capri final, using that performance as a springboard to a career-best season where the gelding prevailed in 13 of 27 starts while amassing $1,053,803 in earnings to push his lifetime bankroll to $1.9 million.

Esmeralda Semalu, nominated to the Frances Dodge Van Lennep Filly and Mare Pacing Series, finished second, beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Maltese Artist. (Pompano Park)

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