The $13,000 purse Open Handicap Pace at The Isle Pompano Park on Saturday evening proved to be a showcase not only for Hall Of Fame driver Wally Hennessey during a four win performance but also a proving ground for rapidly improving four-year-old pacer Prime Time Talent
. He stopped the clock in 1:51 for the fastest mile of the meet since racing resumed on September 19.
The gelding by Kassa Branca-Deas Camstress improved his speed mark to 1:53 under wraps last week and proved this week it was no fluke as he stepped up from the Open-2 to the top weekly class carded in South Florida.
Prime Time Talent was prudently positioned just back of the pace made by Object Of Art, in rein to Ray Vizzi, as they assumed the lead after the front quarter of :27 and laid down fractions of :54.4 and 1:22.4. In the stretch Object Of Art finally yielded to Prime Time Talent as he edged clear and withstood a late rally from his stablemate Im In Luck to score the narrow victory. Object Of Art held on for third.
Mike Deters trains Prime Time Talent for Pine Vue Stables of Saranac Lake, New York. Interestingly, he came into the Saturday night contest at The Isle Pompano Park with the lowest career earnings in the field at just over $68,000 but his life's mark performances of the past two weeks seem to indicate his career path upswing is far from over.
Hennessey also teamed the Saturday night card's co-feature winner in the $8,500 Open-2 pace with Captain Matt. The seven-year-old Captain Per-Falconcrest gelding sat third until the field turned for home and he was able to wear down the leader Sugars Pride and driver Tom Sells within the shadow of the wire in 1:52.2. That score by Captain Matt in a career-best clocking provided owner Peter Halesworth of Pompano Beach, Florida with a victory in his first training start of the Meet as well.
Prior to the regular card, a pair of $4,500 divisions were held in the second leg of the Gator Series for Florida bred two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Cracker Pullet, a Raging Glory-Nasty As Can Be gelding had a :27.4 closing quarter in reserve to win his split in 1:57.1 with Wally Hennessey in tow. Jim Martin trains Cracker Pullet for Russ Peavyhouse of Plant City, Florida. In the other division, Stiletto Jake was brilliant again with a :28 final panel to win in 1:56.4 in rein to Tom Sells. The Spy Hard-Embers Glory colt is owned and trained by Robert Connor, Jr. and this extremely promising youngster has already won four of seven lifetime starts.
On the career milestone watch for driver David Ingraham, he pulled to within two wins of the 6,000 plateau. Ingraham executed a textbook pocket trip win in a $6,800 purse conditioned test with Sir Beach Dragon to bring his lifetime driving win total to 5,998. Kelly Case trains the eight-year-old career winner of over $230,000 for owner Carolyn Corso of Henderson, Nevada.
(Pompano Park)