Tweedle Dum Wins Open, Sustains Injury

Published: October 22, 2008 11:19 pm EDT

Former world and track record holder, Tweedle Dum, may have won Wednesday's $14,000 Open Trot at the Isle Pompano Park, but may also be done racing for the remainder of the year due to an injury when crossing the finish line.

The fifth race feature started off with Battleshoe Victor and driver Anthony Napolitano out battling Gale Warning (Wally Hennessey) for command of the early lead but by the opening quarter mile in :27.3, driver Wally Ross, Jr. had race favorite Tweedle Dum in gear on the outside and going to the lead.

By the half mile pole in :56.1, Tweedle Dum was in command but in the backstretch driver Mickey McNichol came first-over with Brick, an 18-1 long shot, and they started to gain ground on the race leaders.

As they past the three-quarter mile marker in 1:25.4, Brick kept pressing the pace on the outside and after a torrid stretch drive, Tweedle Dum was not to be denied and held game to the finish, winning by a neck over Brick in 1:54.4. Karpathos (Joe Pavia, Jr.) closed well to finish third.

It was just as Tweedle Dum was coming across the finish line that the horse seemed to miss step and then broke stride after the wire.

"It looks to me like he injured his right hind leg," said trainer Gordon Norris. "Which is bad because last year he injured his left hind. We will have to wait and see what the vet says but it does not look good."

Tweedle Dum is an eight-year-old gelding by Star Challenge from the BJs Mac mare, Lady Mac. Diane Norris and Alfred Brotter of Pompano Beach own Tweedle Dum. He tied the world record for his age and gender in 2007 with a 1:53.2 mile, set the track record for most wins in a season, 21, in 2006 and is a career winner of 54 races with earnings of $328,000.

(Pompano)

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