Lugar captured the feature trot on Wednesday night at Pompano Park while driver Stephane Lareau was the driving star on the strength of a ‘grand slam’ performance.
The Florida-bred Lugar, handled by Tom Sells for trainer Mark Friedman and the Polo Stables, inherited the lead on the backstretch when favoured Shes All In (driven by Rick Plano) made a costly miscue. Lugar went on to score a handy 1:59 triumph over Illusionsndreams (Andy Santeramo), off at 37-1, and Indiana Hall (Bryce Fenn) off at 154-1.
Jon Win and I Love New York picked up the final two awards in the field of eight.
Lugar, usually on the engine early, showed his sharp early foot again and was in the garden seat through opening panels of :28.4 and :58.4 as Shes All In was seemingly gliding along on a comfortable length-and-a-half lead. Three-eighths out, Shes All In jumped allowing Lugar to seize command heading into the far turn and coasting home to the wire.
It was the eighth win in 25 starts for Lugar this season and vaulted his 2013 bounty to $54,426, his best season ever to go along with his mark of 1:55.
In a post race interview, Sells said, “…sometimes, luck plays a role in the outcome of a race and tonight was one of those nights. Rick’s (Plano) mare rarely makes a break and it was being in the right place at the right time that helped us tonight. Lugar is a very nice horse, though, and Mark (trainer Friedman) has done a really nice job with him having him ready for this first start back in over two months.”
The driving star of the night was Stephane Lareau, who drove four winners on the program.
(With files from Pompano)