The drivers' cash title for the 2009-2010 season at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park could go right down to the final program on May 22 as Wally Hennessey mounts a late season surge to catch Bruce Ranger
.
With a four win performance on the May 14 program, Hennessey now trails Ranger by about $27,000 in driving purses with three programs remaining in South Florida for the Meet. Before his departure for Summer competition at Tioga Downs, Ranger amassed $1,182,892 in purses on the strength of 227 wins from 1,003 drives. Ranger and Hennessey are the only two drivers to surpass 200 winners each in the bike for this campaign at Pompano.
Hennessey's top win on the Friday night card was a dominant front end performance in the $12,500 purse Mares Open-2 Handicap Pace with Im Just Special in 1:52.4. After dictating three-quarters in 1:25.4, Hennessey had the five-year-old Camluck-Ladys Special Girl mare sprinting home in :27 to score handily in 1:52.4. Tom Artandi trains the $522,000 career winner for Susan and Ted Colby of New York, and this was her sixth win in 14 trips in South Florida in 2010. M A Jackie, in rein to David Ingraham, brushed up for second with Lucy Lucy and Jay Sears taking third.
While the drivers' cash title may be within Hennessey's reach, he faces a 26 win deficit to Ranger for the drivers' dash title with three programs to go.
On the training side, Wally's brother Dan has all but clinched the dash title with 56 winners for the 2009-2010 season. He has a 12 win lead over Kim Sears in that department. The same two stables will decide the trainers' cash title for the meet. Dan Hennessey, at $370,000 in purses leads Kim Sears by just over $25,000.
Another 12 race program is set for Saturday evening, May 15 and the current campaign at Pompano will conclude with programs on May 21 and 22.
(Pompano Park)