"The Florida Breeders were really great about integrating the auction of the whips I'd collected and donated into Sunday's annual yearling and mixed sale here" Pompano based trainer John Hallett said in a live trackside TV interview before the Monday evening program. "The whip from the late Stanley Dancer's last lifetime win topped them all and it brought a price of $400. The whip autographed by John Campbell brought $175. We didn't get a chance to auction Ron Pierce's whip from the Meadowlands Pace win with Art Official until late in the sale, so it brought only $75 when the crowd size was down. The auction went really great though, we even had folks participating from South Carolina" Hallett adds. "The totalfrom the whip auction and cash pledgeswas over $2400."

Additionally, horseman Tom Harmer organized an equipment collection for those in need at Lebanon Raceway. "The area in front of Tom's barn here at Pompano had a huge collection of donations" Hallett observed. The count on that came in at 7 race bikes, 7 jog carts, 20 complete sets of harness, 5 trunks, and 30 water buckets. Combine that with the fact that four horses were also donated to the Ohio relief effort, including The Ideal Aries and Supreme Harmony donated by Tanah Merah Farms. It's a bit tricky to estimate the value of those horses andsome of the used stuff, but all told with the cash from the whip auction, the 4 horses and all the equipment, we're proud to say the value ofPompano Park donation would top $20,000" Hallett said.

The donation by Tom Harmer won't stop there after his rig is unloaded in Ohio. His staff will then be going on to Harmer's northern base in Chicago where it is expected that more horses and equipment will be donated to the Lebanon Raceway barn fire relief effort.

Popfinger's 2 year olds highlight Monday card

A pair of maiden two year olds trained by William Popfinger turned in impressive winning performances on the Monday evening, December 14 program at The Isle Pompano Park. The 73 year old horseman makes his winter home at Lighthouse Point, FL.

Hanks Kid, a Bettors Delight-Hank's Girl two year old gelding topped the NW1 class to start the Monday evening proceedings under clear skies and a 77 degree setting. Wally Hennessey was in the bike to engineerthe 1:57.1pocket trip winfor owner Henry Spierer of Fort Lee, NJ. The pacesetter Dontbreakmyheart with Bruce Ranger persisted for second with Smarty Smiley and Gaston Lareau closing for third.

Popfinger's other winning charge on the card was with It's Ideal Hanover. The two year old Western Ideal-It's A Trick miss carried a claiming price of $16,500 for the first time and she jetted to the front from post nine to outstep all rivals in 1:58.2, also with Wally Hennessey in tow. Popfinger shares ownership with Michael Cashman of Ft. Lauderdale on It's Ideal Hanover. Carah T with Richard Simard was a hard closing runner-up with Sixxpak in rein to Bruce Ranger holding third.

Post time is 7:05 p.m. each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing.

Frank SALIVE