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Feb 17, 2016

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Pompano Beach, FL.February 17, 2015.Royal Max, once again handled by George Napolitano, Jr., scored a repeat win in Pompano Park’s $15,000 Open Handicap Trot on Wednesday night (February 17).

The lightly raced five year-old gelded son of RC Royalty, trained by Chris Oakes for owner Albert Crawford, toured the South Florida five-eighths mile oval in 1:54.1-the same time as last week’s win.

The margin of victory this time around was 1 ¾ lengths-wrapped up-with She’s All In and Rick Plano teaming up for second with Diamond Dagger third for Mark O’Mara.

Lucid Thoughts, who took an early lead before yielding to the winner around the first turn, was fourth while My Revenuer, last much of the mile, picked up the nickel in the classy sextet.

Assigned the outside post in the field, Royal Max was on the engine when the wings opened and carved panels of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25.1 while opening up a long lead-five lengths-turning for home.

From there, it was a “cakewalk” as Royal Max was untouched to the wire.

In a post-race interview, driver George Napolitano, Jr. succinctly said, “whatever you wrote last week, you can write the same thing this week.

“He was very sharp again, in fact, maybe even a little sharper than last week as this final quarter was, I think, a bit faster than last week.

“Gotta give credit where credit is due and that is to Chris (trainer Oakes) who got him back to where he is an Open trotter...

We thought our IdaBet.com players would like an update on the EHV-1 outbreak at Sunland Park.  As Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino proceeds with plans to resume live racing later in February despite an outbreak of equine herpesvirus, the New Mexico Livestock Board reported Feb. 15 there have been four new cases since its last update two days earlier.

In its latest update, the board said the total number of EHV-1 positives is now 70, up from the previous 66. While the number of new positives increases, the board said five horses were released from the isolation barn Feb. 15. Also, 15 “exposed” barns have been returned to non-exposed status, and the Jovi and Lazy S facilities have been removed from those within the quarantine perimeter, leaving only Sunland Park and the Frontera Training Center under quarantine.

Six horses at the track, which has a horse population of about 1,500, have died as a result of EHV-1.

Sunland Park, which has not held live racing since Jan. 22 due to EHV-1, has announced it plans to resume live racing Feb. 26 under certain conditions it believes will limit the spread of the disease and at the same time permit horsemen to resume their livelihoods.

Under the plans to resume racing, Sunland Park said only horses from non-quarantined barns would be permitted to compete. Under the protocols in place, if a horse in a non-quarantined barn tests positive for EHV-1, no horses in that barn would be permitted to run for the next 14 days.

While many owners and trainers would welcome the return of racing to Sunland Park, which hosts the $800,000 Sunland Derby (gr. III), scheduled for March 20, some believe it inappropriate to try to race until the entire outbreak has been contained.

Dr. Miguel L. Gallegos, a physician who has a stable of about 11 horses on the track and 40 broodmares in the state, is concerned that allowing the resumption of racing...

Northfield Track Announcer Ayers Ratliff’s free handicapping tips are provided exclusively for online IdaBet.com customers.  Please remember due to the draw schedule, picks are made in advance and do not account for scratches or late driver changes. Thanks for playing tonight on this 15 card race and don’t forget to play tomorrow on IdaBet.com Wednesdays for our IdaMatch promotion and earn up to an additional $500 on select tracks.  Details here.

Good luck on this Tuesday evening and thanks for choosing IdaBet.com!

Race 1: 5- Fridayscomin – Was a winner last time out and looks to be able to strike again tonight. 6- Louie The Fourth – Another with a big shot in tonight’s opener. 4- Hallucination – Should not be overlooked as a solid competitor in here. 1- Pembroke Popeye – Won his most recent outing but faces tougher this time around.

Race 2: 3- Whatagamble – Could have a successful return to Cleveland. 6- Easton Bound – Another newcomer that could do well in here. 9- Billy The Colt – Should get a good trip from the second tier. 8- Cold Bath – Could garner a minor share despite starting from the far outside.

Race 3: 2- Heeza Nordic – Drops in class and looks to be the best in here if he minds his manners. 7- IM – Another class dropper that could be tough in here. 6- Chip’s Dreamer – One of several in here that could make the ticket.

Race 4: 7- Light Up The Sky – Drops in class and looks to be the best at this level of competition. 3- Custom Made – Made the ticket last time out and could be right there again tonight. 1- Mattox’s Western – Could be tough from the rail. 4- Full Circle Spirit – Has as good of a shot as any in here to complete the Superfecta.

Race 5: 3- Miss Panthers – Was the beaten favorite last time out, but could prevail for her backers this time around. 6- Screamin Dreamin – Also a...

In a continuing effort to keep you abreast on all things racing. We will continue to share Ed Golden’s Santa Anita Stable Notes and timely relevant releases to all our valued IdaBet.com players.  It is our hope at IdaBet, that Ed’s insight and others who are in the know… can increase your wagering winning percentages if you choose to play at Santa Anita.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for directing your play the IdaBet.com way!

JOCKEY QUOTES

MARIO GUTIERREZ, NYQUIST, WINNER: “He hasn’t run since November (Oct. 31) so we know he was going to be rank but I also believe in his talent. I wanted to fight with him as little as possible today, let him do his thing and you saw the results.

“I wasn’t worried about Exaggerator today. I can’t be worried about that, about other horses. I know my horse is talented enough to make it to the bigger races so if I’m worried about other horses now, this early, than that makes me sound like I don’t believe in my horse and I do.”

KENT DESORMEAUX, EXAGGERATOR, SECOND: “You’d have to break the track record to win the race, so that’s telling for both horses. They’re both very talented. I had a dream trip. The winner was too good.”

FLAVIEN PRAT, DENMAN’S CALL, THIRD: “We had a good trip, we were right behind Nyquist and Exaggerator. For a moment we were in the second spot and it was a good race.

“It wasn’t a big win but we did something good today. He’s still very green but he’s a good horse.

“I feel good about it; with these things you just get back to riding horses and gain the experience.”​

TRAINER QUOTES

DOUG O’NEILL, NYQUIST, WINNER: “Everything went great, and for the race to go the way it did, I’m pumped...

IdaBet.com Pompano Park players should know that with the $75,000 Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park Late Closing event for mares highlighting the March 5 card at the South Florida oval, an added attraction for that Saturday night program will be the Pro-Am event headed by team captains David Miller and Tim Tetrick.

Florida Amateur Driving Club President Dein Spriggs spearheaded the event and received an enthusiastic response from Miller and Tetrick, two of the leading drivers in the sport.

Miller, has driven the winners of over $10 million in 13 of the past 15 seasons and is within a “nose” of going over the $200 million dollar mark.

He has driven over 11,600 winners with the “crowning” touch being in last season’s Breeders Crown at Woodbine, where he drove five winners enriching owners by $950,000.

Tetrick, who drove his first winner, Travel N Legacy, at the Paris, Illinois in 1998, covering the mile in 2:06.4 and earning the major share of the $1,186 purse, just recently won his 9,000^th race and has driven the winners of over $165 million.

He, too, has a multitude of Breeders Crown wins, including last season’s victory back of 2015 two year-old champion Boston Red Rocks.

Spriggs said, “We are so honored to have these great drivers and humanitarians here at Pompano Park on March 5^th.

“In appreciation of their appearance here, our Florida Amateur Driving Club is donating $2,000 to each driver’s selected charity—Miller’s being the Make A Wish Foundation and Tetrick selecting New Vocation.”

Miller and Tetrick will select their respective teams after the March 1^st draw with two Pro-Am events tentatively scheduled as a co-feature with the aforementioned $75,000 Isle Casino Late Closing Final.

Also on March 5, authors Victoria Howard and Bob Marks will be on hand doing a book signing for their recent publication detailing the life and times of the...

Pompano action continues for IdaBet.com players.  Remember to take advantage of John Berry’s reports and track insights with your wagering considerations.  Earn up to $500 with IdaMatch Wednesdays on Pompano and other select tracks.

CELTIC MERCHANT TAKES “OVER THE HILL GANG” TROT AT POMPANO

Pompano Beach, FL…February 16, 2016…The popular “Over The Hill Gang” series continued on Tuesday night at Pompano Park featuring a field of seven with combined career earnings of over $2.3 million and, in a photo, it was the senior citizen of the group, 13 year-old Celtic Merchant, handled by the senior citizen of this group of drivers, Rick Plano, a winner in 1:56.4.

Trained by owner Steve Oldford, Celtic Merchant left alertly from the five post and settled in the garden spot as Illusionsndreams, with Andy Santeramo in the bike, clicked off panels of :27, :57 and 1:26.2 before grudgingly giving way to Celtic Merchant in the final few strides.

The official margin was a head with Savthelasdancforme and Steve Condren teaming up for show honors. Flashy Lady finished fourth while On The Tab picked up the nickel.

Celtic Merchant won for the third time this semester in six starts and pushed his 2016 earnings to $11,792. Lifetime, Celtic Merchant has 45 wins career-wise, good for $354,616 to go along with his mark of 1:54.4 as a 10 year-old.

Off as the 3 to 2 favorite, Celtic Merchant paid $5.00 to his many investors.

Racing continues at Pompano Park on Wednesday night with the first of 10 races scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

Reported by John Berry for Pompano Park