Goldstar Briana and Prairie Sweetheart kept their career records unblemished with victories in their respective three-year-old classes of the FSBOA Stallion Stakes at Pompano Park on Tuesday night (November 8).
Conmans Dream and Rexamillion also were victorious in their sophomore Stallion Stakes competition.
The election-night evening kicked off with a non-wagering affair for trotting fillies and Kevin Kelly’s Gold Star Briana, trained by Dan Hennessey and driven by Wally Hennessey, had her hands full early but eventually went on to score a six and a half-length win in 1:58.2 over Trotting Missmissy (driven by Donald Dupont) with All Star Fame (Kevin Wallis) third.
Trottime Fool and Im For Sale completed the quintet going for $28,175.
As the gate folded, Trotting Missmissy took advantage of her rail post position to take the field through an opening quarter in :29.4 with Briana out and looking to make a quarter move to the top.
But the headstrong leader wouldn’t relent and Gold Star Briana took back and remained second past the half in :59.1.
Heading into the final turn, Gold Star Briana was out and on the prowl once again and moved on even terms with the leader past the third station in 1:29.4.
In the lane, Gold Star Briana proved her superiority with a :28.3 sprint home to seal the deal.
The daughter of Basil now is seven-for-seven this year — just as she was last year as a two-year-old — with her career bankroll swelling to $93,988.
After the event, driver Hennessey said, “this filly proved her merit tonight. You know, it’s tough to start a filly up then shut her down and then try to rev her up again. That’s what I had to do tonight when the leader seemed intent on the lead.
“When I pulled into the final turn, she responded perfectly and then went on. Like I said, she proved her merit tonight.”
Prairie Sweetheart’s event in the $29,825 Stallion Stake for three-year-old pacing fillies was, from the bettor’s point of view, unusual, to say the least, as this sweetheart was a nickel-to-a-dollar in the betting with her other five opponents all 99-1 on the tote-board.
The daughter of Royal Millennium, a recent purchase by the Let It Ride Stables, was driven to a near gate-to-wire 1:54.1 win by Matt Kakaley and trumped her rivals with a victory measuring 12 and half lengths off of front end panels of :28.2, :58 and 1:25.4.
Diamond Lily (Wally Hennessey), 108-1 in the betting as second choice, finished second, with Yule Love It (Dave Ingraham), who was officially 307-1, third. Gold Star Lovebug (267-1) garnered fourth while Caitlins Romance (304-1) picked up the nickel in the sextet. Gold Star Mysti (130-1) completed this sextet of fillies.
With the victory, Prairie Sweetheart kept her lifetime record perfect — now 13-for-13 — with her sixth win this year.
Back in the hands of trainer Mike Deters, Prairie Sweetheart recently took a lifetime mark of 1:49.1 over Lexington’s Red Mile and, with this win, sent her career earnings to $169,936 -- $106,662 this year.
After that event, driver Matt Kakaley -- who got his first pari-mutuel win at Pompano Park back in 2006 as an 18-year-old (he now has 3,689) -- said, “what can I say? She’s just a great filly. That about sums it up as best as I can.”
Prairie Sweetheart paid $2.10 to win.
In the $28,900 Stallion Stake for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, Conman’s Dream, again driven by Corey Braden, scored a gritty 1:55 win — his winning margin a head over Gleneagles (Wally Hennessey). R Chism (Fern Paquet, Jr.) was third while ICU Diamond T and Danza earned the final two awards in the sextet.
In that one, Gleneagles left aggressively from the coveted five post with Conmans Dream away alertly before making a quarter move to the top. After that :27.4 opener, Conmans Dream went on to post fractions of :56.4 and 1:26 with his gritty :29 finale just holding off the surging Gleneagles at the wire.
After that event, owner-trainer Jason Mac Dougall related, “Man, I’m glad that is over with. Last week, Corey (driver Braden) tipped him out turning for home and he was full of pace.
“Tonight, he had to do a lot more work on the lead. I don’t get along with this horse too well so that’s why I have my friend Corey drive. He gets along with him much better.”
As the 11-10 second choice, Conmans Dream, a son of Best Connection, paid $4.20 to win and sent his lifetime earnings to $56,395 -- $25,552 this year.
The $29,500 Stallion Stake for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings completed the stakes action for the evening and it was last year’s champion, Rexamillion, again returning to championship form with a very handy win for Wally Hennessey in 1:59.2.
The son of Proud Bushy, owned by Richard Dunmire along with Jay and (trainer) Kim Sears, led every stride of his mile, clocking fractions of :29.4, 1:00.3 and 1:29.3 along the way.
Savin Rock (John Campagnuolo) finished second, seven and a quarter lengths away, while Proud Joe T (Rob Hoffman) finished a neck further back third. Fifty Fifty Ninety was fourth while Last Chance Fame pick up the minor award in the field of six.
After the event, Hennessey remarked, “I didn’t think he was quite himself his first few starts but he was back to his championship self the last two and tonight was great as he finished the mile like he did last year at this time.”
Rexamillion now has a career bankroll of $82,222 -- $20,750 his latest two starts.
As the 2-5 favorite, Rexamillion paid $2.80 to his multitude of backers.
In the Open Pace for Mares, Godiva Seelster, driven by Wally Hennessey, streaked to her fifth straight victory since her arrival at Pompano Park by scoring a verdict measuring a neck in 1:52.4.
The six-year-old daughter of Camluck, trained by Dan Hennessey for owners Paul and Patricia O’Neil, led at every pole and held the pocket sitting, late surging Goldstar Rockette (Kevin Wallis) safe at the wire.
Safe From Terror (Bryce Fenn) finished third while Yes You Can and Artiawitchtoyou earned the final two awards in the field of six.
For Godiva Seelster, who has, in her five starts since her return to Pompano Park, all ‘1’s on her 25 points of call over those starts here, it was her 11th win of the season — 36th lifetime — and sent her seasonal bounty over the $100,000 this year -- $100,058 to be precise.
The grand mare now has earnings of $319,775 lifetime.
Once again, Hennessey echoed similar comments as he has in her prior wins, saying, “She does this all on her own. I hardly have to ask her to do anything. She’s cool, calm and collected in the barn and all business when she hits the racetrack.”
As the 1-5 tote-board favourite, Godiva Seelster paid $2.60 to win.
Racing will continue on Sunday night, as the schedule will expand to three nights per week — soon to be four — with a current Sunday, Monday and Tuesday programs set to start at 7:20 p.m.
A $9,304 Super Hi-5 carryover is the wagering highlight on Sunday night.
(Pompano Park)
