One Lucky Dragon has become the second $90,000 yearling purchase to score his first career win in 2011 at Pompano Park
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The two-year-old colt by Dragon Again-Kiss My Lips was sent to Florida in October by Ohio trainer Ron Potter. Now racing from the care of one of Pompano's perennial top trainers, Dan Hennessey, One Lucky Dragon was well rated on the lead to win in 1:56.4 with Wally Hennessey in the bike. One Lucky Dragon is a full brother to the 2011 third-place finisher in the Meadowlands Pace and the Hoosier Cup, Wink N Atcha. Ownership is held by Winchester Baye Acres of Ocala, FL.
The other $90,000 yearling to earn his first career win at Pompano this year was Lucky Cadet, just prior to being shipped north for a three-year-old campaign in the New York Sires Stakes.
Inaugural Horse & Groom Of The Month Award
The first monthly honours for top performances by a horse and its groom was made during the Tuesday, November 29 program by the Florida Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA).
The inaugural recipient was Keystone Thomas who has amassed 5 wins in 7 starts this meet for owner Fred Monteleone of Pompano Beach, and earnings of over $93,000 in 2011 while racing exclusively in Florida. A plaque presentation to the trotter's connections was accompanied by a $50 cheque from the USHWA Florida Chapter to Debbie Gray-Gagnon, the groom of Keystone Thomas.
"He isn't really a high maintenance horse, he takes pretty good care of himself and it's a real labor of love to work in the Bruce Ranger Stable and with his lead trainer Stewart Nemiro," Gray-Gagnon said. "This acknowledgement of the grooms is a great thing, I feel. There's a crew of us here at 4 a.m. for about eight hours, and then back at 5 o'clock until perhaps midnight on race days so it's a must that you really love the horses to be in this job."
"By the time I get in most mornings just before 6 a.m. she's got everything under control and the day pretty much set up for us, so she's the cornerstone of our operation," says trainer Stewart Nemiro.
"Debbie has worked for me a long time and this acknowledgement for a horse and groom is terrific," added Bruce Ranger of his stable hand. "By the time I get into the barn in the morning she's got the horses that need to be jogged all set up to go before it gets too hot outside. She leaves me notes so I don't forget anything important and our barn runs as well as it does because of Debbie."
Drivers On The Mend
The two drivers injured most seriously in the Monday evening accident in the first turn of the Mares Open Pace, Ed Hensley and Fern Paquet, Jr., are now listing themselves as day-to-day for their return to action this week.
Hensley was driving Keep On Flirtin and Paquet was in the bike with Artcam as the two mares fell in the confusion resulting from the sudden break by Hay Beautiful. Hensley, 45, and Paquet, 43, both went to hospital for x-rays voluntarily and received confirmation that they had no broken bones from the mishap. However, both were shaken up with cuts and bruises and booked off their drives at Pompano on the Tuesday evening, November 29 card.
(Pompano Park)