Not only is Wally Hennessey about to become the 21st driver in history to reach 8,000 wins, he also still has a very sharp eye for acquiring a promising horse
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The 55-year-old driver hailing from Charlottetown, P.E.I. and longtime resident of Coconut Creek, Florida, has made a private purchase of Waterside Champ in partnership with Ian Smith. Dan Hennessey continues as the trainer of record on the pacer. In the first start for the new owners, Waterside Champ stepped to a life's mark of 1:52.2, as the Camotion-Lasting four-year-old gelding easily eclipsed the mark he'd taken in 2011 at Georgian Downs.
Hennessey and Smith made the private purchase of Waterside Champ from retired NHL right winger Hilliard Graves, who had campaigned the horse at Pompano through January 28. Graves, 61, remains a hobby horseman with 243 career winning drives. His pro hockey career from 1970 through 1980 included stops with the NHL's California Golden Seals, Atlanta Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets. From 556 pro games, Graves potted 118 goals and added 163 assists.
Saturday night's win with Waterside Champ brought Wally Hennessey's lifetime win total to 7,995 in the bike. He has five scheduled drives when racing resumes on Monday evening, February 13.
Dead Heat Drama In Pompano Feature
One of the fastest dead heat finishes in the entire history of the Winter Capital Of Harness Racing dating to 1964 went into the record books on Saturday evening, February 11.
In the $12,000 purse Open Handicap Pace, the photo finish camera could not separate Deep Finesse, driven by George Napolitano Jr., and Ricks Sign, partnered by Fern Paquet Jr. Deep Finesse was turned loose on the lead to the half in :27-seconds and :56.2 with Ricks Sign stepping up first over in a :27.3 third quarter duel to the last turn in 1:24. After a pitched stretch long duel, the pair could not separate at the wire in 1:52.1.
Peter Pellegrino trains Deep Finesse, a six-year-old Western Paradise-Deep River Woman pacer, for Baron Stable of Horsham, Pennsylvania while Ricks Sign, a seven-year-old Life Sign-Lasting Flower K gelding, is conditioned by Paul Holzman for Andrew Sassen of Hillsboro Beach, Florida. It was the first win of the year for Ricks Sign as he attempts to follow up a career best campaign in 2011, which saw him win 14 of 40 starts for almost $110,000 in purse earnings.
(Pompano Park)