Pompano Beach, FL…January 19, 2021…Skip To My Lou and Born To Thrive shared the harness racing limelight at Pompano Park on Monday as each took top honors in their respective $11,500 Open Handicap events at the famed South Florida oval.
Skip To My Lou, confidently handled by owner-trainer Joe Chindano, Jr., conquered seven worthy rivals by grinding away first up from turn two all the way home to hit the wire in 1:50.4–a new lifetime mark. His winning margin was 1 3/4 lengths over Kinnder Jackson (Mike Simons), who closed fastest of all to finish second, Real Peace (David Miller), who sawed through panels of :26.2, :55.2 and 1:23.2, finished third while Southwind Amazon hit the wire fourth, Bell I No picked up the nickel in the classy octet.
The five year-old gelded son of Sweet Lou, who finished third in last week's Open, pacing his last 3/4s in 1:22.3 from post seven, started grinding away heading to the half, reached the leader's saddle pad around the final bend and settled the issue midway the lane by drawing clear.
In a post race interview, the 21 year-old driver lamented, "when I pulled, I was looking for cover and a second over trip–you know, these were a bunch of really good horses– but nothing developed. He really felt good so I just let him roll. He can go a long way on the outside, that's for sure."
Skip To My Lou now is two-for-three in 2021 with his lifetime bounty vaulting to $124,151.
As second choice in the betting, Skip To My Lou paid $7.20 to win.
Skip To My Lou
In the companion trot, Born To Thrive, driven by Rick Plano, churned his way to victory, scoring in 1:54.3 for owners John Campagnuolo and Maryann Plano.
The eight year-old altered son of Swan For All, never saw the inside part of the racetrack during his journey but still managed to eke by a stubborn The Lionking AS (Kevin Wallis) to score by a neck for his 40th career win. The 13 year-old warhorse Cantab Lindy (John MacDonald) was another neck back in third. Bucketlist Hanover was next, just a length off the winner, while Everyone's Talkin was next in the septet.
Plano's charge, starting from post four, was, as usual, sluggish leaving and sixth early as The Lionking AS engaged early with Cantab Lindy to take charge at the :27.2 opener. But Born To Thrive started grinding away, reaching third after a half in :56.2 and along side the leader just past the third station in 1:25.1.
These three–Born To Thrive, The Lionking AS and Cantab Lindy–tussled all the way home with Born To Thrive earning the nod at the wire.
After the race, Plano said, "Born To Thrive just doesn't have much gate speed but he sure can take a lot of air. He just keeps grinding and grinding away, That's his style."
Upon achieving the 40 win milestone, Born To Thrive sent his lifetime earnings to $418,622. Off at 6 to 5, Born To Thrive paid $4.60 to his multitude of faithful.
Born To Thrive
Other notable performances on Monday night were accomplished by Seeing Eye Single (David Miller) in 1:51.1 and Ideal Feeling (David Miller) in 1:50.4.
Racing continues on Tuesday with a mandatory payout on the track's popular Super Hi-5 finale, that has a carryover of well over $120,000 with the pool expected to be several hundred thousand dollars.
The track will also offer a Pick-4 with a guaranteed pool of $20,000. That offering features a 12% takeout, the lowest in the industry.
Free programs are available on the isle pompano park racing website.
Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
by John Berry for Pompano Park