Amateurs shine at Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL, April 4, 2022- Harness racing driver Dein Spriggs, Billy Muggleston and Kevin Banting were the driving stars in amateur competition at Pompano Park on Sunday night, with Spriggs edging closer to 500 lifetime wins, Muggleston now within one of a milestone 100th win and Banting earning his first driving win since over 30 years.

Spriggs kicked things off by capping the early Daily Double at The Pomp, guiding his own The Big Muscle to a season’s best 1:56.3 win.

This 10-year-old gelded son of Muscle Mass, a recent addition to the Spriggs roster, got picture perfect handing as Phoenician and Holton were one-two through fractions of :28.3, :57.2 and 1:26.4 with Spriggs sitting chilly in the third spot ready to pounce once they straightened away in the lane,

By mid-stretch, he had them measured and went on to win by a neck over Holton (Steve Oldford) with Phoenician (Tony Dinges) third.

For The Big Muscle, trained by Allen Saul, it was  his third win of the year and 26th lifetime, sending his earnings to $190,556 lifetime–$20,316 this year.

He paid $5.40 to win as the slight second choice.

THE BIG MUSCLE REPLAY

Spriggs, by the way, now has 497 lifetime wins, including five wins overseas.

Muggleston, once a helicopter pilot for the great Herve Filion, must have learned something from Herve as he showed his prowess in the bike with a confident drive back of For A Dreamer, who he claimed just weeks ago.

The seven-year-old altered son of Cantab Hall was out and going around turn two and blasted his way to the front during a his :28.1 backside blitz to put the rest of the field at bay in scoring a 7 1/2 length win in 1:56.

Left in his wake in the field of nine were Steel Reserve (Don Cromer) with Mr. Houdini (Jamie Marra) third.

Also trained by Allen Saul, whose UTRS (batting average is up near .400), For A Dreamer now sports a scorecard of 5-0-1 in 14 starts, good for $27,140 this year and $255,300 lifetime.

He paid $6.80 to win.

FOR A DREAMER REPLAY

Kevin Banting, who rarely appears in the bike, capped things off with a sharp drive back of Shoshie Deo to win his first race since 1991.

Shoshie Deo, trained by Banting for Annemette Minor, was third early on as Sumbodygetdisfool and Uncle Hanover traded places on the front end, joined the latter around the final bend, wore that one down in the lane and held off the flying Tech Titan (Tony Dinges) to win by a neck.

Sumbodygetdisfool (Steve Oldford) finished third, less than a length away.

With a mile in 1:59.2, Shoshie Deo rewarded his faithful with $39.00 mutuel and, in doing so pierced the $250,000 in earnings–$253,056 to be precise.

SHOSHIE DEO REPLAY

The FADC has donated over $240,000 to worthy causes since its inception as its membership donated all earnings from driving in their events to charity, including a just announced stipend for the aftercare of retired racehorses in recognition of the Prewitt-Aiello Match Race to be held Monday, April 4, at Pompano Park.

For full race results, click here.

by John Berry for Pompano Park