The streaking Prairie Jaguar did it again on Saturday night -- this time scoring in 1:49.2 -- for his fourth winning mile in 1:50 or faster at Pompano Park, the most ever by any standardbred in the track's history stretching now a half century.
The Florida-sired six-year-old son of Spy Hard is trained Mike Deters, who co-owns with Laurie Poulin.
Driven again by Jason Dillander in the $10,000 Open Handicap Pace, Prairie Jaguar led virtually every step of the mile, first out-brushing Lyons Johnny (Wally Hennessey) through a scalding opening quarter of :26 and then clocking fractions of :53.3 and 1:22.1 along the way to report home with a two length margin. Lyons Johnny was second and Hillybilly (Bruce Ranger) finished third after having raced in that position the entire route. Northern Companion, last early, rallied to finish fourth while McGreat picked up the final award in the field of seven -- the final horse across the line timed in 1:50.4.
"This horse amazes me every time he races," said Dillander in a post-race interview. "He was off a couple of weeks so I wasn't sure he'd be as tight, but he was just awesome tonight. I admit I was a little bit worried because he was so relaxed up the backstretch, but when Wally's horse [Lyons Johnny] came to me around the final turn, he pinned his ears back and was all business from there. What did he come home in? :27 and a piece?"
For Prairie Jaguar, this seven race winning streak over two months has pushed his lifetime bounty to $72,259.
Trainer Deters summed it up perfectly when he said, "He sure has come a long way since his first start as a two-year-old way back in 2010 when he paced his mile in [2]:15 and a piece...and that's without making a break!"
He sure has.
(With files from Pompano Park)