Serendipitious, driven by Wally Hennessey, pulled off a minor upset in Pompano Park’s $8,500 trotting feature for mares on Monday night covering the mile in a lifetime best 1:54.2.
A recent purchase by Paul and Patricia O’Neil and now in the Hennessey Stable, Serendipitious, a five-year-old daughter of Majestic Son, won a fierce early battle with the 1-2 favourite, Shes All In (Rick Plano) and proceeded on through panels of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25.1 before her :29.1 sprint home left her untouched throughout the lane.
Her margin of victory was 1-3/4 lengths over Shes All In with Pinky The Intern (John Mac Donald) third, four lengths away. Bad Angel finished fourth while Oceana finished fifth in this quintet—her journey marred by a break before the start.
“We found out that this mare was for sale and we liked her at lot,” said driver Wally Hennessey. “After this mile we really like her a lot. She went the best trip of her life tonight. I drove her the last couple of times and she was handy and professional.
“I really was intent on taking the lead here to try and control the pace and I was hoping that the quick opening quarter didn’t take too much out of her,” he added. “She never let go of the bit at any time and I am very well please with her tonight.”
Serendipitious won for the seventh time this year in 32 starts pushing her 2016 bounty to $47,582. Lifetime, she banked $123,704.
Her 1:54.2 clocking easily eclipsed her former best of 1:57.1 over Batavia’s half-miler last August.
Although Serendipitious was the morning line favourite at 6-5, she went off as the second choice at 2-1 when the bell rang and returned $6.80 to win.
Racing continues on Tuesday night with Prairie Fortune the early favourite to repeat in the $12,000 Open Handicap Trot. Explosive Muscles, Tater Twister, Commentary and Sooo Handsome complete the classy field.
Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(Pompano Park)