Esmeralda Semalu became the fastest filly or mare ever to race in the 45-year history of Pompano Park

with her 1:51.1 victory in Tuesday’s $16,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace.

Trained and driven to the win by Joe Pavia Jr., Esmeralda Semalu took the lead at the quarter in :27.4 before chopping out middle splits of :56.2 and 1:24. She sealed the deal with a :27.1 final quarter, drawing away to win by more than seven lengths over Chapsboots N Spurs and Shytown Lightning.

Owned by the BJR and AGC Stables of Boca Raton and Highland Beach respectively, it was a lifetime record and the fourth win in six starts this year for the five-year-old daughter of Electric Stena.

The previous all-age record for fillies or mares at Pompano Park was the 1:51.3 standard set by Wilma Hall in 2006.

“We purchased this mare for $75,000 last year,” Pavia said. “And she had some problems and needed tie-back throat surgery. So after that we gave her a lot of time off and now she has come back to reward us big time.

“She was off a week before tonight’s start,” Pavia added. “And in her prior start she seemed a little dull and could not get into the flow of the race so at the last second tonight I decided to change that and left out of the gate with her. Once she got to the front she settled down and obviously had plenty of pace.”

Esmeralda Semalu, who was bred by Semalu Inc. of Laval, QC, has banked in excess of $223,000 in her career.

(Pompano Park)