Ppk5/8 - How Far Can McNeil's Streak Go?

When racing resumes on Saturday, January 28 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, the youngest member of the training colony in the 2011-2012 meet will be looking to continue a very formidable run of success.

John McNeil III, a 24 year old  trainer hailing from Vernon Center, NY is easily on pace for his best career year. In 2011, he sent out 170 starters at Vernon Downs, Saratoga Harness and Pompano with 27 winners for just over $111,000. Already in 2012, McNeil has harnessed up 7 winners from 18 starters for almost $24,000 in purse earnings. All told for the Pompano meet which began last September, McNeil has kept his win stat north of 25% with 15 victories from 57 starters for purses of almost $60,000. 

24 year old John McNeil III, the youngest trainer on the Pompano backstretch for the 2011-2012 campaign, has won at least one race on the last four straight programs. Here, he accompanies claiming pace mare MC Tbone Ida after she won the first race of the Wednesday, January 25 program. (Skip Smith Photo)

McNeil's run of Pompano programs with at least one winner began last Saturday night in the Open Handicap Pace with Kommander Hawk, the same horse that carries his hopes of running his streak of programs with at least one winner into the January 28 card in the top class. Extending his streak this week were MC Thunderstruck on Monday, Cajun Pearl on Tuesday and Wednesday evening's first race winner MC Tbone Ida. At this stage, you have to go back more than a week to find a Pompano program when a McNeil starter didn't win a race. Kommander Hawk is scheduled to start from post five in a seven horse field in this weekend's edition of the Open Handicap Pace as McNeil seeks to harness up a winner for a fifth straight card at the South Florida venue. It's been a family affair for the trainer in his first season making Pompano his winter base, as all of his starters are in the ownership of Ellen or Ben McNeil from Vernon Center, NY.

Also on the Wednesday evening, January 25 program, Keystone Thomas was a front end winner in 1:55.1 in the $12,000 purse Open Handicap Trot after overcoming an assigned outside post seven start. Bruce Ranger was in the bike for Florida's dominant trotter of the past 13 months, as the 6 year old Revenue S-Yankee Taboo gelding held off the pocket sitter Jaavos Boy in rein to David Ingraham and the first over challenger Master Solutions driven by Ricky Macomber Jr. Ownership of Keystone Thomas, now a career winner of over $242,000, is held by Fred Montelone Stable of Pompano Beach, FL.

Post time is 7:15 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing. Free race night live streaming, handicapping selections by Hall of Fame inductee John Berry, and replays are in the 'racing' tab at www.theislepompanopark.com along with the racing schedule through July of 2012 for The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.