With baseball's World Series looming, the football season in full swing and the hockey season just underway, horsemen at Pompano Park joined the festivities on Sunday night (October 23).
Wally Hennessey scored a "touchdown"--six wins, driver John Mac Donald scored a "hat trick," trainer Jim McDonald did the same and trainers Kim Sears and Marc Aubin hit "doubles," as did owners Dan and Jacalyn Boddie and the Twenty Four Carrot Racing.
It was all part of an outstanding 16 race program -- three off the betting card -- as track record holder Panocchio took top honours in the Open Pace and the outstanding three-year-old filly Gold Star Briana pushed her unblemished record to 13 in one of four $12,000 Sunshine State Stake finals.
Panocchio, who set the track standard last season, made his fall debut with a gutsy 1:50.4 win for Wally Hennessey, scoring by three-parts-of-a-length over Sing For Me George (Kevin Wallis) with Winyard Hanover (Brad Kramer) third, six lengths away. Here Comes William and Dee's Rocketman were next in the classy sextet.
Off two qualifiers - -the fastest in 1:55.4, Panocchio was sent right for the lead when the gate sprung and out-dueled Winyard Hanover early, taking the field through an opener of :26.4 and half in :55.2. Right at that second station, Sing For Me George left his cozy spot in fourth and the war was on. During an official :27.2 third quarter, Winyard Hanover paced his in :26.3 drawing on even terms with Panocchio and even sticking a head in front.
In the lane, these two fought tooth and nail with Panocchio sticking a nose in front turning for home and maintaining his advantage to the wire.
In a post-race interview, driver Wally Hennessey said, "well, what can I say? He's the track record holder for a reason. Jim (trainer Mattison) doesn't train him too much -- in fact 2:30 is 'normal' for him -- but, when he gets onto a racetrack, he's all business. He was all business tonight.
"It's a credit to the care he gets in the barn. Jim and (wife) Vicki just do such an outstanding job with a small stable and that care comes right through when they get behind the gate. It's an honour to drive a horse like this."
The win was the 43rd lifetime in 102 starts -- seven this semester -- and sent his career bounty to $369,428. He's banked $78,561 this year for trainer Mattison and Emile Johnson, Jr. As the 3-to-5 toteboard choice, Panocchio paid $3.20 to win.
Gold Star Briana, also handled by Wally Hennessey, took her $12,000 final of the FSBOA sponsored Sunshine Stakes for three year-old trotting fillies, one of four contested on Sunday night, this one off the betting card.
The daughter of Basil, trained by Dan Hennessey for owner Kevin Kelly, edged by a stubborn Trotting Missmissy (Donald Dupont) to score by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:58. All Star Fame (Sergio Corona) was third followed by Bonnie Blue Banker and Miss Olivia Irene in this quintet.
Gold Star Briana is now 13-for-13 in her unblemished career, good for $79,901. She's 6-for-6 this year.
After that event, driver Hennessey related, "She had her hands full tonight with Donald's (Dupont) filly, who raced very tough. But she was up to the task and, when I set her down for the drive, I just let her grind home. She did this all on her own.
"Ya know, owner Kevin (Kelly) is kind of a superstitious guy and the fact that she was going for her '13th' didn't help his nerves but I hope that now that '13' is over, he'll just enjoy these moments."
The initial Sunshine State Stake, for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, saw the continuing rivalry between Azzaro and Im Done, the only two combatants in the division, and it was Azzaro, enjoying the benefit of drawing the rail, getting perfect rating by Wally Hennessey after a brief tussle at the start with his challenger.
Sailing through fractions of :30.3, 1:02.3 and 1:34.1, a :29.1 finale sealed the deal as Azzaro hit the line 1 1/2 lengths to the good over Im Done (Tom Lehmann) in 2:03.2, a new lifetime mark.
Azzaro, a son of Proud Bushy, is owned by Jay and trainer Kim Sears and now sports a 6-4-2-0 scorecard, doubling his earnings to $15,612.
In the Sunshine State Stake for two-year-old trotting fillies, Atlantic Crest, coming into the action off of a lifetime best 2:01.1 performance, scorched the oval this night in 1:57.4, leading every long stride of her mile for owner-trainer Sergio Corona.
This daughter of Crest pinned a 5 3/4 length defeat on Famous C (Hennessey) with Prairie Pixie (Mike Deters) third. Bonnie Blue Banker and Miss Olivia Irene complete the roster at the finish.
For Atlantic Crest, it was her third straight win in her brief career measuring six starts.
This event was also off the betting program.
The final Sunshine State Stake -- for three year-old trotting colts and geldings -- went to last year's champion, Rexamillion, redeeming himself after going winless in five starts this year.
The gelded son of Proud Bushy was perfectly mannered and led at every pole -- :30, 1:01 and 1:31.2 before a :29.2 finale sealed the deal by eight lengths in 2:00.4 for Wally Hennessey.
Owned by Jay and Kim Sears, along with Richard Dunmire, Rexamillion left Fifty Fifty Ninety (Jason Mac Dougall) and Savin Rock (John Campagnuolo) in his wake with Proud Joe T, in the garden spot all the way, next after a miscue turning for home. Favoured Thundercrest came un-glued early and then was bothered early on but did manage to pick up the final award in the field of eight.
For Rexamillion, the win was number six lifetime to send his career bounty to $67,472. As the 3-to-1 second choice, Rexamillion paid $8.00 to win.
Hennessey also won with the trotter Flashy Lady and the pacer Abreathofreshart.
Flashy Lady, the 11 year-old mare, earned her 38th career victory -- this one in 1:57. Trained by Tim Maier for owner Denise Maier, this daughter of CR Excalibur now has banked $375,190 -- $38,507 this year.
She rewarded her backers with a $5.80 mutuel as second choice and completed a Pick-5 sequence of 1-1-5-6-3 worth $1,492.70.
Abreathofreshart, trained by Marc Aubin for Dan and Jacalyn Boddie, was a gate-to-wire winner in 1:54.3, earning his 10th lifetime win, to push the five year-old's career bounty to $72,425. Off at 3-to-5, Abreatofreshart paid $3.40 to win.
Aubin also trained No Bad Dreams for the Boddies; that five-year-old son of Dream Away storming from last early on to score in 1:52.2 as Dave Ingraham made his fall debut at Pompano Park.
No Bad Dreams fanned widest of all in the lane to score by 2 1/4 lengths for his 15th career win. The victory pushed his earnings over the $85,000 mark.
The winner paid $29.00 to his faithful.
The amazing Aubin has been victorious as a trainer and driver for some seven decades -- his first recorded win coming in 1959.
Driver John Mac Donald earned his "hat trick" with his own Beach Blast ($4.40) in a lifetime best 1:52.3, Mikes Powerhouse ($5.60) in 1:52.2 and Shootin Time ($2.40) in 1:55.
The latter two are trained by Jim McDonald -- the former for the S S G Stable and the latter for Twenty Four Carrot Racing.
Mc Donald completed his training "hat trick" with the trotter Caviart Griffin ($4.80) driven by Dave Ingraham for Twenty Four Carrot Racing.
Racing continues on Tuesday night (October 25) with a 16 race program -- again, three races off the card -- with carryovers in the Pick-6 and Super Hi-5 awaiting. Scheduled first race post time is 7:20 p.m.
(with files from Pompano Park; photo courtesy Skip Smith)