Indiana-related veteran trotters fared well at Pompano Park Wednesday, Jan. 29 winning four of the first five races. Out of those wins, three of the trotters hailed from the Rick Plano barn giving him a driving-training triple for the night.
Born to Thrive, shown winning the three-year-old Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final four years ago at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, is now two for four in 2020, Photo by Dean Gillette
Plano started off his evening in the first race with a commanding win from Sooo Handsome. The Cash Hall seven-year-old gelding used early speed to get good positioning and followed along until moving out in the stretch and rolling home to a two and one-quarter length win in the $9,000 conditioned trot in a time of 1:55.2. It was the first win of the year for Sooo Handsome, who now has 35 career wins and more than $275,000 in earnings. He is owned by Maryann Plano and although he is by New York sire at the time Cash Hall, he was bred by the Plano’s at their Indiana farm just south of Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Plano returned to take the early double with Keegan Ho, a seven-year-old son of Mr Cantab. The gelding sat in mid pack before being flushed first over and rolling home a five-length winner in 1:53.3, a new lifetime mark. Owned by Plano, Jan Repko and Mindy Findling Repko, Keegan Ho now has 25 career wins in 130 starts with more than $200,000 in purse earnings.
Plano’s final win of the evening came from Born to Thrive in the $10,000 Open Trot. The seven-year-old Swan for All gelding was pushed three-wide around the final turn before wearing down his opponents for the win in 1:55.0. Owned by John Campagnuolo, Victor Contento and Maryann Plano, Born to Thrive is now two for four in 2020 and scored his 35th career win. He is approaching $400,000 in career earnings.
The other Indiana-related winner was Groovey Kid, trained by Wally Hennessey and driven by John MacDonald. The Cincinnati Kid nine-year-old gelding held on by a nose in the gate to wire effort, winning the $6,500 conditioned trot in 1:55.3. A surprise to bettors, The Victory Hill Farm-bred gelding paid $19.00 to win. He is owned by Campagnuolo and now has 44 career wins with earnings in excess of $250,000.