On Wednesday (January 10) at Pompano Park, driver Dewayne Minor was in the bike for an upset, as Celebrity Artemis scored at odds of 15-1 in the track’s $11,000 featured trot for the mares.
The seven-year-old daughter of Andover Hall covered the standard distance in 1:56.1 over a racetrack continually pelted by rain throughout the night.
Her winning margin was a half length over the late-charging JS Foxy Lady (driven by Ricky Macomber Jr.). The 4-5 favourite, Skyway Priss, finished third for driver Peter Wrenn after having cut the mustard for most of the mile.
Celebrity Artemis, driven by Dewayne Minor, pulled off a 15-1 upset in Pompano Park's trotting feature on Wednesday night. (Skip Smith Photo)
Shes All In, who was prominent in the garden spot most of the way, wound up fourth, while Modern Mercury picked up the final award in her sextet.
At the outset, Shes All In (Rick Plano) left alertly from her inside post and led for much of the opening panel, yielding to Skyway Priss just before the opening marked, reached in :28.2.
From there, Skyway Priss put up a half in :57.3 with Shes All In sitting chilly, JS Foxy Lady next and Celebrity Artemis fourth, but on the move first up with three-eighths to go.
Reaching the third station in 1:26.3, Skyway Priss was firm on the lead but, once they straightened away, Celebrity Artemis kept gnawing away, and took command at the 16th pole and held off JS Foxy Lady in the final strides.
After the race, driver Dewayne related, "This is a mare that was involved in the fire last year and she was out for some time. Besides the smoke, she had the hair on her back singed off and it still hasn't grown back too much. Maybe we should start a 'Hair Club for Horses!"
"She's quite a gutsy mare to come back from all she's gone through and I thought she might have as good a chance as any in there since she has been racing well lately.
"I was very proud of her performance! Good for her!"
Trained by Sam Stathis for Celebrity Farms, Celebrity Artemis kicked off her 2018 campaign with her 10th lifetime win, which pushed her career bankroll to $75,904.
As fourth choice on the tote board at 15-1, Celebrity Artemis rewarded her faithful with a $33.40 mutuel.
Pompano racing will continue on Saturday night and a trio of carryovers will spark the festivities.
The card will kick off with a Pick-5 carryover of $6.949 and the Super Hi-5 carryover has swelled to $73,761. There is also a carryover in the Pick-6.
Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)