Saturday's (Jan. 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Pompano Park and Dover Downs.

Monet C C gets revenge at Pompano

Pompano Beach, FL--Monet C C, the oldest veteran competing in Pompano Park’s Open 1 Pace, got the revenge he was seeking after last week’s “nostril” loss in the Open by collaring favored Special Strides in the final yards and going on to score a half-length win in 1:52.2 for Bruce Ranger.

Skip Smith Photo

Monet C C, driven by Bruce Ranger, took Pompano Park's top pace on Saturday night in 1:52.2.

Avantage was third in the mile, followed by Rick’s Sign and Dragon’s Blood.

The 10-year-old rugged son of Artist Stena, making his 254th lifetime start, earned his 35th lifetime victory, pushing his lifetime bounty “one win” shy of the $400,000 mark.

Monet C C looked anxious behind the gate, but Ranger’s plans for leaving were dashed when both Special Strides, handled by Rick Plano, and Rick’s Sign, driven by Jason Dillander, were on the engine early through an opening quarter of 27 with Rick’s Sign and Special Strides exchanging blows through the first half in 55.3.

Ranger left the pocket with three-eighths to go, moved on even terms with the leader turning for home and wore Special Strides into submission.

In a post-race interview, Ranger said, “Well, that sure wasn’t the way I planned things. I was hoping to leave out of there and get a cozy trip behind Rick’s horse (Special Strides)…but they were gunning so hard on both sides of me that I couldn’t do it. When I asked for some pace, Monet responded, but you never know how long a brush will last—especially going first up—so I was very pleased with his performance.”

Owned by the Bruce Ranger Racing Stable, Monet C C is trained by Stewart Nemiro.

In the co-featured Open 2 pace, Arezzo Hanover, a 9-year-old son of The Panderosa owned by the J L Benson Stables, took a new lifetime mark of 1:50.3, scoring a convincing win over Kommander Hawk, Spring Again and Hay Goodlooking, among others.

Arezzo Hanover, a recent arrival by claim in the stable of Paul Holzman, left sharply, yielded briefly and then re-took the lead after three-eighths of a mile, clocking fractions of 54.2 and 1:22.1 en route to his lifetime-best performance.

--John Berry

DOVER DOWNS
Damsel In A Dress was the winner of the $10,000 4&5-Year-Old Mares feature pace, marking her third consecutive trip to the winner’s circle at Dover Downs on the first Saturday afternoon racing on January 5. Allan Davis had a driving triple, George Dennis two longshot wins. Sean Bier was in the bike for the first time for trainer Richard Lewis, but there was no appreciable difference as the 4-year-old daughter of Tell All-Individual Style owned by David Banks romped to victory in the feature race. When Two Fools Met (Brandon Henley) closed well to finish second. Act Of Magic (Tony Morgan) was the show horse. While Allan Davis led all drivers with three winners, George Dennis piloted two longshots to victory, 15-1 Izzy Real, owned by Tim Mumford, Don Anthony and trainer Shane Long, a 1:52.4 winner in an $8,500 Male pace, and trainer Jeff Whaley’s 19-1 Swim Shark Swim in 1:55 to win a Delaware $7,500 Claiming Allowance. Tony Morgan and Jim Morand also had doubles.