Pompano Beach, FL---No Bad Dreams, handled by Wally Hennessey, avoided trouble around the final turn and went on to post a two-length win over E Z Noah (Matt Romano) in Pompano Park's feature $8,500 "Winner's Over" Pace on Saturday night (May 9).
Cartoonist (Walter Ross Jr.) finished a courageous third after being knocked off his feet momentarily around that final turn while Who's Your Maddy, also suffering the same fate around turn three, re-composed and finished fourth while Johnny Grippa picked up the nickel, this, too, after suffering some interference around the final bend. The mile was clocked in 1:50.3, a new lifetime mark for the winner.
It was Canadian Touch, off at 9-2 on the board with Kevin Wallis driving, showing the most alacrity when the gate opened, taking the field to the opener in a red-hot :26 with Johnny Grippa, 4-1, (Bruce Ranger) third and E Z Noah, off at 2-5 with Matt Romano in the bike, next.
Approaching turn two, E Z Noah was out and beginning to apply some pressure on Canadian Touch with the half clocked in :55.4.
On the backside, things really began heating up again and a :26.3 third panel left Canadian Touch on top in 1:22.2 with E Z Noah still applying the tourniquet with Johnny Grippa still in the garden spot and No Bad Dreams second over and 2-1/2 lengths away.
Just past that third station, Canadian Touch made a nasty break with only E Z Noah and No Bad Dreams escaping the fray.
In the lane, E Z Noah surged to a short-lived lead but No Bad Dreams bursted on by on leaving E Z Noah in his wake.
In a post-race interview, driver Wally Hennessey said, "This was a case of just being in the right place at the right time. I followed some live cover and when the leader made that break, I shifted wide and that was that. I had driven this horse last week and he did have some pace around the final turn and to the wire. They just went a little too much at the end for him to dent any further, but he did have good pace. He probably came home under :28 tonight (he did--:27.4.) so he's turning out to be a good one."
For No Bad Dreams, a 4-year-old son of Dream Away, it was his fourth win in six starts this season, sending his 2015 bounty to $14,550, surpassing his earnings of last season encompassing 20 starts.
Trained by Mark Aubin for owners Jacalyn and Dan Boddie, No Bad Dreams rewarded his followers with a $21.80 mutuel.
Another noteworthy performance was turned in by the 7-year-old Northern Companion as this son of Cambest relished his class relief this night and recorded his 41st lifetime win--this one for Tom Sells, who handled the lines for trainer Howard Klohr and owner Dorothy Zarza.
Known for his ferocious stretch brushes, Sells took no chances with this 1 to 5 favorite, leading at every pole--:27.2, :56.4 and 1:25.1--before a :28 sprint home sealed the issue in 1:53.1.
Northern Companion won for the fourth time this semester, sending his seasonal bounty to $21,580. He's banked $260,915 career-wise.
Pompano Park's Super Hi-5 featured several winners receiving $61.14 for their 20 cent investment on the 1-4-2-3-5 combo on Saturday night, sending the carryover for Wednesday's program to $192,000. Post time is 7:30 p.m.