Natasha Wins 15th Straight

Published: December 2, 2019 05:01 pm EST

Pompano Park played host to the best of the best on Sunday (Dec. 1), as $414,000 in total purses was up for grabs. The FSBOA presented the 2019 edition of ‘Super Night,’ a showcase of the top two and three-year-olds in Florida.

On the equine side of the ledger, the grand three-year-old filly Natasha won her 15th straight in the $55,325 Breeders Stake for Wally Hennessey and Zaza Boy took top honours in the $54,090 companion pace for the boys.

A complete ‘wrap’ appears below.

$55,325 BREEDERS STAKES FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES (NB)

Six Of Diamonds filly Natasha took home the top prize for driver Wally Hennessey, as she stopped the timer in a lifetime best 1:53. Trained by Kim Sears for owner-husband Jay, Natasha survived the outside post and a sizzling opening panel of :26.2 before subsequent fractions of :57 and 1:24.3 precluded a :28.2 finale to hit the wire two lengths clear of Prairie Cougar (Peter Wrenn) with Prairie Westerngal (Kevin Wallis) next.

Calebs Diamond T, closing fastest of all, finished fourth, while Rockin Ellie picked up the final award in this classy septet of fillies.

Said Hennessey after the race, "I have always said this filly is a freak and she really proved her merit tonight after facing tough rivals like this, the outside post and a trying first quarter."

Natasha Is now seven-for-7seven this year and now has $129,956 in career earnings.

$52,075 BREEDERS STAKES FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS/GELDINGS (NB)

In a race where the final chart looked like a ‘tic-tac-toe’ board with all the ‘Xs,’ Rhinestone Cowboy, handled by Mike Micallef, rallied from a miscue of his own on the backstretch to win in a lifetime best 2:01.2.

The son of Proud Bushy who is trained by Kim Sears for owners Jay Sears and John Campagnuolo, came from 10 lengths out of it around the final bend to, first, collar the leading Prairie Romeo (Dave Ingraham) and, then, hold off the surging Prairie Gold Mine (Wally Hennessey) to score by three parts of a length over the latter with Prairie Romeo next.

Prairie Tornado and YD Dream Machine completed the order of finish.

A smiling Micallef said after the race, "This proves the old adage 'you never give up.' When he made that jump on the backside, I thought we were out of the ballgame, but you never know. He caught pretty quickly and raced very well after that... and that's what really counted here."

Rhinestone Cowboy now has a 2-2-3 scorecard from seven starts with earnings of $444,481.

$52,500 BREEDERS STAKES FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES (NB)

Laurie Lee, driven by Wally Hennessey, led every long stride of her mile to score a handy win in 1:56.4 – this after carving up panels of :28.1, :58.2 and 1:27.3 along the way.

The daughter of Royel Millennium hit the line three and a half lengths clear over the pocket-sitting Pocahontas Cam (Kevin Wallis) with Prairie Fashion (Dave Ingraham) next. Alil Touch Of Pink and Gold Star Igotdis followed.

Trained by Kim Sears for Jay Sears and Richard Dunmire, Laurie Lee, named after one of the more prominent breeders in Florida, scored her fourth win of the year in what was her ninth seasonal start. The victory pushed her earnings just under the $50,000 plateau -- $49,975 to be precise.

$51,540 BREEDERS STAKES FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES (NB)

Prairie Delight, driven by Wally Hennessey, stalked the pacesetter until the final bend before tilting out and overtaking the leader turning for home and on to a three and a quarter-length score in 2:03.4.

Trained by Jim McDonald, who co-owns with wife Dona and Bill Bigler, the daughter of Shibboleth Hanover allowed Callin On Sunday, handled by Mike Simons, to ‘cut the mustard’ through panels of :29.1, :59.3 and 1:30.2 before swooping by to the handy score – her sixth of the year in seven starts.

Whitney Annette (Dave Ingraham) was next while Proud Money and Brasen Bo completed the field.

Prairie Delight now sports earnings of $54,091.

$50,750 BREEDERS STAKES FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD TROTTING GELDINGS (NB)

Pacing Pretty Stables' Damien Hall, with Wally Hennessey handling the lines for trainer Jim McDonald, led gate to wire to keep his 2019 season unblemished – now six-for-six – with a lifetime best 1:58 performance.

The altered son of Cash Hall, once again, led at every pole through panels of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:284 before a :29.1 finale sealed the deal over Savin Park (Mike Micallef), Prairie Gem (Peter Wrenn) was next, followed by McGoldrick.

Damien Hall shows all ‘1s’ in his 30 charted points of call and has banked $53,024 lifetime -- $42,631 this semester.

$49,250 BREEDERS STAKES FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES (NB)

Proud Sophie, with Dave Ingraham in the bike, used her individual final half in :57.4 to squeak by a stubborn Kerry B (Wally Hennessey) in 2:00.4. Pocket-sitting Crown Bushy (Bryce Fenn) finished third in the trio.

The winner, a daughter of Proud Bushy, was away last allowing Kerry B the advantage of carding soft panels of :30.2 and 1:02.2. On the backside, the pace quickened as Proud Sophie tilted out and began gnawing forward, drawing on even terms with Kerry B around the final bend with three-quarters clocked in 1:31.2.

From there, it was a war all the way home as Proud Sophie edged by once they straightened away and gutted out the game win on the wire.

Trained by Kim Sears for Jay Sears and Dr. David Fishman, Proud Sophie has never been worse than second in her 12 lifetime starts (seven wins) and now sports bounty of $108,740.

$49,380 BREEDERS STAKE FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS/GELDINGS (NB)

In a war that lasted just about the entire mile, Hurrikanekingjames, with Carl Garofalo in his sulky, held off the furious late binge of Repeal Or Replace (Andy Santeramo) to win in 1:53.4, a new lifetime best.

Shuldahadahunemoon (Mike Simons) was third in this trio.

At the outset, both Hurrikanekingjames and Repeal Or Replace went in search of the lead and, at the opener in :27.1, the latter stuck his head in front but was forced back in the pocked as he couldn't clear.

On they flew through fractions of :55.4 and 1:24.3 with Hurrikanekingjames now encountered by Repeal Or Replace turning for home. They went tooth and nail right to the wire with Hurricanekingjames surviving the onslaught to prevail by a half length.

John McDermott Jr. trains the son of So Surreal for Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing, Pegasis Investment Group and George Vierno with the winner now showing earnings of $103,780.

Driver Carl Garofalo, by the way, drove in six races since Pompano Park opened one month ago and has won all six.

$54,090 BREEDERS STAKES FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS/GELDINGS

Zaza Boy, with Mike Micallef handling the lines, stalked the pacesetting Mister Marvalous (Wally Hennessey) and went on to score a handy win in 1:53.4 over the late-charging Gold Star Yoder (James Yoder). JBs Boomerang (Bryce Fenn) was third over Mister Marvalous while Gold Star Hefner earned the minor award in a field scratched down to five.

Micallef had high praise for the winner saying, "Michile and Rod (Lorenzo) have had him sharp for a good, long time and he was become very handy to handle – not headstrong. I think the fact that he's learned to relax has helped his game immensely."

Rod Lorenzo owns Zaza Boy in partnership with Souren Hovsepian.

The sophomore Rockingcam gelding now has $68,530 in 2019 and $93,707 lifetime.

As the 2-1 second choice, Zaza Boy paid $6.20 to win.

Driver Wally Hennessey ‘had a six-pack’ on Super Night while Kim Sears had a grand slam on the training side of the ledger.

Racing continues Monday with first post set for 7:20 p.m.

(With files from FSBOA / Pompano Park)

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