On the strength of sweeping all three of his starts last month, four year old pacer Paper Beats Rock and groom Shirley Lepage won a close decision in the voting as the track's top performer in January over Special Sweetheart and Kommander Hawk.
"I have to credit (trainer-driver) Richie Simard for this horse's turnaround because he had a reputation for being rambunctious in the barn and an attempt was even made at one time to convert him to the trot" Lepage said. "Now, there are no tricks to him, his only quirk is that he really enjoys a hay net like the trainers use to hang out for a lot of thoroughbreds. I'm not surprised he's found his stride, I think he was meant to be a good horse since he was a $40,000 yearling at the 2008 Harrisburg Sale" Lepage added. She received the cheque award from the local USHWA chapter to each groom associated with the horse of the month so honored.
Paper Beats Rock (Rocknroll Hanover-In Every Way) was originally sold by the name Twin B Rock Star and goes out in search of a seventh straight win for the ownership of Fred Monteleone Stable of Pompano Beach when racing resumes on Wednesday, February 15.
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.
