Pompano Beach, FL…April 16, 2015…Increditable turned in an incredible performance at Pompano Park on Wednesday night (April15) and trotted the second fastest mile in harness racing tracks history–1:53.1.
Driven by Kevin Wallis for owner Denis Goyette and trainer Norm Dessureault, the six year-old gelded son of Credit Winner led at every pole, clocking fractions of :27.2, :55 and 1:24.1 along the way, and hit the wire seven lengths ahead of his nearest rival, Highland Yankee (Wally Hennessey), with M C Felix (Aaron Byron) just another nose back in third. R G Rocket finished fourth in the field of nine with the 4 to 5 favorite, Jailhouse Jessica, picking up the nickel.
Indeed, it was Increditable darting out with alacrity from post five and into the early advantage with Highland Yankee using the rail to perfection to get away in the garden spot. As Ya'll Like it, also leaving for an advantageous early spot, never found one and was third but outside and grinding forward with M C Felix next and Jailhouse Jessica away in good order fifth and off the hot early pace. Meanwhile, second choice, Nothinbutanallstar was at the back of the pack after an early miscue.
On the backside, Increditable just kept plugging along on the lead, holding off a stubborn As Ya'll Like It with Highland Yankee chilly on the inside and Jailhouse Jessica now on a double bubble move about 2 1/2 lengths back.
In the lane, Increditable began widening his margin in a lifetime best performance, knocking off a full second off of his previous best.
In a post race interview, the soft-spoken driver Kevin Wallis said, "You know, the five post seems to be very good off the gate here so I sent him just to get into it early. Once I got around Sam's (Stathis) horse (As Ya'll Like It), he brushed to the front easily and never looked back. This horse is hard trying and he was at his very best tonight. I was just hoping to get a good check for the owner (Denis Goyette) and Norm (trainer Dessureault) but, with the two big guns out of it, it turned out a bit better than I expected."
Increditable won for the fourth time in 13 starts this year, sending his seasonal earnings to $29,665. He's banked $143,164 career-wise.
Off as the fourth choice at 10 to 1, Increditable paid $22.80 to his faithful, keying a 20 cent superfecta payoff of $2,567.50 with Highland Yankee (29 to 1), M C Felix (93 to 1) and R G Rocket (6 to 1) underneath.
One race earlier, Paul and Patricia O'Neil's Count Speed, deftly handled by Wally Hennessey for trainer-brother Dan, used to moves early to score in a lifetime equalling best 1:54.1 over Wishin Iwas Fishin (Dan Clements) with Surface Tension (Dan Daley) next. Iain'tnomomaluke and Typical New Yorker in the field.
Count Speed, a six year-old son of Majestic Son, was out alertly from his post six and into the early lead before yielding–briefly–to Surface Tension before reclaiming a few steps after the :27.4 opener andd then on to post panels of :56.3 and 1:25 before a :29.1 sprint to the wire sealed the deal.
The victory was the first of the year in but two starts for Count Speed and enabled him to reach a pair of milestones–his 20th career win and a vault over the $200,000 in career earnings–$202,120 to be precise.
Pompano Park's Super Hi-5, once again, had mutliple winners for the 20 cent exotic, each receiving $169.06 for their 4-8-5-6-2 combo. The carryover to Saturday's card now stands at $141,848.66, just short of the record $146,288.30.
The C. K. G. Billings North American Series also kicks off at Pompano Park on Saturday night with two divisions–one a pace–featuring many of the leading amateur drivers in the sport including Ted Bowman, John Campagnuolo, Peter Gerry, Robert Krivelin, Hannah Miller, Steve Oldford, Joe Pennacchio, Dein Spriggs, Anthony Verruso and Matt Zuccarello.
The track also will have their Open Handicap Pace pitting Panocchio, Duc Dorleans and Steelhead Hanover against Prairie Jaguar, Cruizin K C, Canadian Touch, Dont Tell Rusty, Neptune and Northern Companion.
Post timee is 7:30 p.m.
by John Berry for Pompano Park
