With the $75,000 Final of the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park Late Closing event for mares on tap for Super Saturday night in South Florida, drivers and trainers have chimed in with their thoughts on the big event. Please note that #6, Mach It A Par, scheduled to be driven by Tim Tetrick, has been scratched due to illness.
Here are some of their comments:
Post #1-Strut My Stuff (12/1), Driver Matt Romano: “She actually raced very well last week. Yes, Mike’s mare (Just A Bee) picked up the pieces late, but we were just a length or so away from second. We drew well–and that helps in an event like this–and I expect her to bring her ‘A’ game and be aggressive leaving.”
Post #2-Totally Rusty (10/1), Driver Tom Jackson: “She cut some serious fractions in her last and they got to her late. Still she is a very sharp mare and, if she returns to the form when she won the first leg three weeks ago, she’ll be prominent.”
Post #3-Lucy’s Pearl (8/1), Driver David Miller: “I have never driven this mare before but have seen her race many times. She’s very talented and has a nice brush. If the fractions are right, she could be right there at the finish with them all. I expect the mile to go in (1):50 and a piece and she’s capable of that. Of course, so are the others! It should be very interesting.”
Post #4-Pertty Music (15/1), Driver Kevin Wallis: Hopefully, she’ll get a better trip than last week when she never saw the inside part of the racetrack. She can turn it on in the lane, especially off of an easier trip if we find some room in the stretch. She drew OK with a lot of great mares to her outside. That always helps!”
Post #5-Velocity Vespa (5/2), Trainer Chris Oakes: She was roughed up pretty much last week but came out of it just fine. She does her best going down the highway and I am quite sure George (driver Napolitano, Jr.) will be sending her from this post. Just about all these great mares have a mark around (1):50 so I think it will take a mile right around there to get it done–maybe 1:50 and 2!”
Head #7-Post #6-Show Runner (15/1), Driver-Trainer Tim Maier: Never really got into the hunt from the second tier 11 post in last. Usually likes to be in the thick of the action from the get-go.
Head #8-Post #7-Just A Bee (7/2), Driver-Trainer Mike Micallef: “She was able to pick up the pieces with that torrid early pace in last and, when I gave her the racetrack, she just took off. The start might be the key here. I have two plans–‘A’ and ‘B.’ It’s a split second decision at the start whether to leave and look for a better early spot–plan ‘A’ or, if there is a lot going on from the inside, take back and hope the pace is like last week-plan ‘B.’ There is no plan ‘C.’ This mare has been very good for a long time. I will have her really to rock and roll early, if that’s the way I see it going!”
Head #9-Post #8-Godiva Seelster (6/1), Driver Wally Hennessey: “This is a scary talented bunch of mares and, I might add, drivers, too. We got the worst of the draw but my mare is coming into the race in great shape. She’s been competitive for over three years now and I expect her to be competitive on Saturday night.”
Also of note, the eight mares competing have combined lifetime earnings of over $2 million to go along with close to 200 wins.
Totally Rusty is the richest performer in the select group with $311,079 in career bounty followed by Just A Bee, $300,681, and Show Runner, with $289,705.
Lucy’s Pearl has the fastest winning performance at 1:50.1 while Pertty Music and Velocity Vespa are next at 1:50.2. Three other mares–Totally Rusty, Show Runner and Just A Bee–sport marks of 1:50.3 in this very evenly matched group.
Other features on the Saturday night card include the $30,000 Invitational Handicap Trot, the $20,000 Open Handicap Pace and the Florida Amateur Club Pro-Am with Tim Tetrick and David Miller serving as captains of the respective teams.
With the competition based on a point schedule, the “winning” teams charity will receive $3,000 with the “losing” team’s charity receiving $2,000 from the Florida Amateur Driving Club.
New Vocation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation are the beneficiaries for Saturday night’s Pro-Am event.
Finally, a book signing featuring noted authors Victoria Howard and Bob Marx will take place near the winner’s circle as the pair autograph their newly published hit book “Meadow Skipper-The Untold Story.”
Post time for the Saturday night festivities is 7:30 p.m.
Reported by John Berry for Pompano Park
