Yes, baseball’s World Series is over but the baseball frenzy continued on Saturday, Nov. 4 as the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association (FSBOA) presented the opening round of their stakes season at Sunshine Meadows Equestrian Village.
Wally Hennessey, Nick Coblentz and Tony Dinges were the stars of the day as Hennessey and Coblentz hit “grand slams” in their respective driving and training categories while Dinges had a “triple” during the afternoon in the bike and also had a “double” on the training side.
The rundown on the eight events featuring two-year-olds and three year-olds is available below.
Easy As That, winless in 19 starts coming into this action, made a sweeping move halfway through his mile and went on to cruise to a lifetime best 1:55.1 win for trainer-driver Tony Dinges, in the bike for Lee Clarke, in the $3,550 three-year-old colt and gelding pace. Fourth and last halfway through the mile, Dinges asked Easy As That heading into the final bend and, easy as that, Easy As That responded with a strong brush that put him on the lead right at the third station before locking the door with a :28.2 brush home. Flying For Trev was next for Frank Affrunti while the early leader, Gator Growl, was third. Constant Velocity completed the quarter.
In a post race interview, Dinges said, “I just chirped a time or two and off he went. Was I surprised? Not really, as he showed he had some good lines coming in. He was pretty solid up north!”
The win capped the driving triple for Dinges along with a training double.
In the $2,825 FSBOA Stakes for freshman trotting fillies, Bellarina Jet (Odino Jet) made her racing debut for trainer Nick Coblentz and owner Amante Standardbreds a winning one by turning a two horse race into somewhat of a “walkover” when her competitor jumped it off at the start. Driver Wally Hennessey was thus enabled to cruise around the one mile oval in 2:07, clocking panels of :33, 1:05.1 and 1:37 along the way. Ps Just Peachy was the distant second.
In the division for the freshman male trotters, worth $3,150, Okeechobee Jet (Odino Jet) completed a daily double in a rare feat involving trainer Coblentz, owner Amante Standardbreds, driver Wally Hennessey and sire Odino Jet as they teamed up to score a sharp 2:01 win in his racing debut. The team behind the winner swept the early daily double. The winner, some 11-1/2 lengths back at the opening marker of :30.4, trotted his final three-quarters in a shade better than 1:28.
Coblentz put icing in the cake by driving his own Legacys Casanova to a second place finish, two lengths back of the winner.
Prairie Friendly, handled by Frank Affrunti, finish third, followed by Watching The Mets and Prairie Possession.
Sweet Scarlett (Boston Red Rocks), driven by trainer Tony Dinges for owner Michelle Clarke, took charge first stride off the wings in the $2,950 division for freshman pacing fillies. She lolly-gagged over to the half in 1:06.2, repelled a bit of pressure at the third station and then roared home in :28.2 to score in 2:07.4 over Prairie Kitten (Dan Harvey) with Dance With Destiny (Joe Sanzeri) third, less than two lengths away. Sweet Scarlett earned her second win in five starts.
Prairie Gorgeous (Dudes The Man) out-gunned the competition early in the two-year-old colt and gelding pace, worth $3,175. He pulled away late in recording a six length win for Dan Harvey, who was in the bike for owner-trainer Laurie Poulin. Making her racing debut, Prairie Gorgeous zipped off panels of :30 and 1:02.1 before a :58 second final half easily sealed the issue over Gator Pledthefifth, driven by Mickey McNichol. Prairie Rocknroll was another three lengths back in third followed by Prairie Achiever with Dont Pet The Gator picking up the nickel.
In the $3,600 sophomore filly trot, Legacys Jailbreak (Dontyouforgetit), with Tony Dinges in the bike for owner-trainer Nick Coblentz, smartly stayed off the hot :28.4 early pace, brushed to the top during a tepid second quarter and lengthened her lead from there to score a five length win in 2:02.1. Early leader Kings Sweetheart (Kevin Wallis) finished second and Atlantic Wave (Alessandro Spano) was third with Prairie Range and JJ Forgetaboutit earning the final awards in this sextet.
This was the initial start of the season for Legacys Jailbreak who now sports five wins in six lifetime starts—her time on this day just one tick off her career best here at Sunshine Meadows last season.
In the closest finish of the afternoon, Prairie Nugget (Shibboleth Hanover) held on gamely in the final stages to score a career best 1:57.3 win for Wally Hennessey, who was in the bike for trainer Lisa Martin and owners Mary Martin and Laurie Poulin. The winner of the $3,550 three-year-old colt and gelding trot needed every bit of a :28.3 finale to hold off the fastest closing Seminole Moon (Frank Affrunti) to score by a head. Rhinestone Camo, with Mickey McNichol handling the lines, was third, followed by Prairie Famous and Captain Cam.
In the sophomore filly pace, worth $3,300, Flo Jo (Keystone Velocity), given superb handling by Wally Hennessey, took charge as the gate left the station and put up opening numbers of :30 and 1:01. She repelled a mild challenge during the third panel and accelerated home in :27.4 to score an eight length win in 1:58.4. Owned by Mr. Dale Witcher II and trained by Nick Coblentz, the win gave both Hennessey and Coblentz a grand slam on the card and kept Flo Jo’s perfect record in tact this semester at three-for-three.
Twowordsmadein USA, with Rob Hoffman in the sulky, was second while Prairie Lynx was a distant third for Kevin Wallis.
After the race, Hennessey related, “She raced super today. Nick (trainer Coblentz) has, obviously done a great job getting them ready and the track was super today, as well."
FSBOA Stakes racing continues every Saturday with Super Saturday scheduled for Dec. 9 and the Delray Beach mile oval. Post time is 11:00 a.m. every racing day.
(With files from the FSBOA)