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| 24 year old trainer John McNeil III was all smiles in the Pompano winner's circle on Wednesday, December 28 after his family's three year old pacing filly, Mc Tbone Ida won the 4th race. It's his first meet at Pompano and he's joined elite company in the trainers' standings by winning with 25% of his starters. (Skip Smith Photo) |
"It's working out much better than we expected and we're so relieved we've been able to continue the strong year at our home base of Vernon Downs in the summer months to here at Pompano for the winter" beamed John McNeil. "We really weren't sure what to expect, and we'd been told the racing in Florida is tough and competitive but so far, so good for my son and our stable" he added after the family's homebred filly, Mc Tbone Ida won Wednesday's evening's 4th race. Other recent starters under the ownership of Ellen McNeil and Ben McNeil have included trotters Mc Thunderstruck and Salome Marvel, pacing mare Cajun Pearl, claiming pacer Kommander Hawk. Their three year old pacing filly Looney Dune was denied a fourth straight win by a neck to the cone skimming pocket sitter Pams Legacy in $10,000 claiming company on the December 28 program.
By the numbers, John McNeil's son, trainer John McNeil III, is capping off a career best year at age 24. Including his accomplishments at New York's Vernon Downs and Saratoga Harness in 2011, purses for the year earned by trainer John McNeil III have surpassed $110,000 with 27 winners from 168 starters. The December 28 win at Pompano moved John McNeil III into elite company in the Pompano trainers' standings with a 25% win statistic. He's harnessed up 9 winners from 36 starters so far at his first winter meet in Florida.
"Considering that we're racing a small stable made up mostly of our own homebreds it's been real relief to find we can fit in as well here as we do back in New York state" McNeil says. "My wife and I have to go home now for a couple weeks. Trust me, we're looking forward to coming back to be with our son and help him out, and after seeing winter again in New York state we'll be coming back to Pompano as soon as possible."
