Too Salty, Crystal Chris win Pompano features

May 07, 2009

Both Too Salty ($2.60) and Crystal Chris ($4.60) each captured their respective $20,000 co-feature Open races Wednesday at the Isle Pompano Park.

Too Salty started off the evening in fifth place at the beginning of the fifth race Open Trot as O-Georgie (David Ingraham) and Indian Hill Rocket (Kevin Wallis) battled to the opening quarter mile in :27.4 with Indian Hill Rocket going off-stride and then re-grouping to settle into second place behind O-Georgie.

After leading the field to the half mile in :57, O-Georgie faced his second challenge of the night as race favorite Too Salty started up first-over and began grinding his way on the outside towards O-Georgie. At the three-quarter mile marker, O-Georgie still held a two length lead, but Too Salty was not through yet.

As the field started down the stretch, O-Georgie could not maintain his advantage as Ranger urged Too Salty on to a one length triumph in 1:54.1. O-Georgie was second with Indian Hill Rocket third.

It was a lifetime mark for Too Salty, who just last week won the $42,500 final of the Trots N Slots Series. A five-year-old gelding by SJ�s Caviar, William Weaver, III of Freehold, NJ co-owns Too Salty with trainer Doug Miller of Lake Worth.

In a dramatic four-horse photo finish, Crystal Chris and driver Tom Sells were able to come back after being passed in the backstretch to post a nose victory in 1:54.3 in the sixth race $20,000 Mares Open Pace.

Hypnotize (Bruce Ranger) led the field to the opening quarter mile in :27.4 as Sells and Crystal Chris then quarter move to take command. After the half mile pole in :58, Atlantic Filly (David Ingraham) came charging up first-over and they cleared to the lead right before the three-quarters in 1:25.2.

As the field came down the stretch, Sells was able to find clearance and come back with Crystal Chris while M A Jackie (Fern Paquet, Jr.) swung to the outside from sixth place and nearly caught Crystal Chris at the wire. Atlantic Filly was right there along the rail to be third and Hypnotize stayed close to the finish for fourth place.

It was the third win in the last four starts for Crystal Chris, a five-year-old mare by Dragon Again, owned and trained by Ned Simmons of Margate. Last week Crystal Chris missed by a neck in trying to make a clean sweep in the $40,000 final of the Girls Night Out Pacing Series. (Pompano)

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