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Drive All Night (5-Anthony Napolitano) came from 7th at
the half to win the photo over Forty Carrots (4-Wally Hennessey) in 1:51.1 in
the $12,000 purse Open Handicap Pace on Saturday evening, February 25 at The
Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. (Skip Smith Photo)
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The tempo was hot and heavy in the early going of the feature event in South
Florida when a rare and rather stiff breeze was coming from the
east off of the Atlantic Ocean. Deep Finesse, last week's feature
event winner driven this night by Joe Pavia Jr., jetted to the front from
the assigned outside post in the field of eight starters in 27.1 but yielded
the lead to the second quarter move of Kommander Hawk and Bruce Ranger to a
sizzling half of 54.1.
Going to the 1:22.2 three quarter mark against the wind, Deep Finesse pulled
the pocket and was followed to the outside by Forty Carrots in rein to Wally
Hennessey. Lurking far back seventh for most of the mile was Drive All Night,
who started three wide on the final turn and his furious late charge just
caught Forty Carrots at the wire in 1:51.1. Rick's Sign was brought through
stretch traffic by Fern Paquet Jr. to save the show position while Deep
Finesse, one week removed from a 1:49.3 track record spin for older
horses, had to settle for fourth.
It was the second upset win in 2012 from four starts for Drive All Night.
The Real Artist-U Drive Me Crazy 7 year old gelding is trained at Pompano by
Christie Collins. The career winner of over $387,000 is owned by Joe Limongelli
of Pittston, PA.
