Tuesday Triple For Esmeralda Semalu

Published: January 27, 2009 10:32 pm EST

If it is Tuesday then it must be Esmeralda Semalu Night at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, as the top mare of the 2009 season made it three straight wins in the $16,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace.

The fifth race feature pace started off with Golden Falcon N and driver David Ingraham speeding to the early lead by the opening quarter mile in :26.4, with Catalina Morgan (Denis St Pierre) sitting on their back.

Heading towards the half-mile pole, Chapsboots N Spurs (Wally Hennessey) came first-over to challenge in :56.2, with Crystal Chris (Bruce Ranger) following the outside flow second-over. Meanwhile, the 6/5 race favourite, Esmeralda Semalu and trainer/driver Joe Pavia, Jr. were stalking the leaders ten lengths back in last place.

As the field reached the three-quarter mile marker in 1:24.3, Pavia and Esmeralda Semalu used the same tactics as last week, sweeping three-wide on the final turn and moving up to second place by the top of the stretch. It was all a blur for the rest of the field as Esmeralda Semalu kicked in a :27.3 last quarter mile to pull away from the field and win by two and three-quarter lengths.

Shytown Lightning (Andy Santeramo) was second with Golden Falcon N third.

Owned by the BJR Stables of Boca Raton and the AGC Stables of Highland Beach, Esmeralda Semalu paid $4.40 to win. She is a five-year-old mare by Electric Stena.

(Pompano Park)

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