Godiva Seelster, cleverly handled by Wally Hennessey, took top honours in Pompano Park’s $11,000 Open Pace for the mares on Wednesday night (March 8), stopping the teletimer in 1:52.2.
The splendid seven-year-old daughter of Camluck hit the wire one and a quarter lengths to the good of Wild Wanda, driven by Ricky Macomber Jr., with OK Heavenly and Kevin Wallis teaming up for show honours, just a nose further back. Sweet Bet, tasting the top Open class for the first time, finished fourth, three and three-quarter lengths away while Misssomebeach Blue earned the final award in the classy sextet.
While the victory was not a surprise to the public that sent her to the post as the 3-5 favourite, it was a surprise as to the way Godiva Seelster reached the winner’s circle — off the pace.
At the outset, Sweet Bet burst off the wings and into the early lead, taking the field to the opener in a stout :27.2 with Goldstar Rockette in the garden spot and Wild Wanda next — but not for long.
Macomber sent Wild Wanda winging to the front three-eighths in and took the field to the half in :55.2 with Sweet Bet now enjoying the luxury of the garden journey, Goldstar Rockette next and Godiva Seelster biding her time in fourth.
On the backside, Wild Wanda started to feel the heat from Goldstar Rockette setting up Godiva Seelster up with a second-over trip following very live cover.
Reaching the third station in 1:23.3, Wild Wanda put away the challenger of Goldstar Rockette and that’s when Hennessey sent Godiva Seelster on the prowl in search for the lead, which she got at the midway point in the lane, edging clear to the wire.
In a post-race interview, Wally Hennessey related, “Every week I have been putting 'Godiva' in the ballgame early and, tonight, I thought I try to get her to relax a bit early and come from off the pace.
“I thought they were going pretty good up front and I got perfect cover from John [MacDonald]'s mare [Goldstar Rockette] and 'Godiva' was ready to roll when I tipped her for the drive.
“It was a good mile for her.”
Trained by Dan Hennessey for owners Paul and Patricia O’Neil, Godiva Seelster earned her first win of the season and 40th lifetime. The grand mare has now won $357,032 during her career spanning 115 starts and has missed only one purse cheque in her last five seasons covering 106 starts.
Godiva Seelster paid $3.20 to win.
Hennessey also won the $9,000 Open 2 Pace for the ladies by guiding Jets Are On to victory in 1:52, a new lifetime best.
This seven-year-old daughter of Jeremes Jet, trained by Luanne Case for S & P Racing Stable, pinned the one-length defeat on Rock My World (Ricky Macomber Jr.) with Astarisontheway (Rick Plano) third, two and a quarter lengths back of the winner. Miss Dollar Man, beginning from post nine, found a spot in fourth early and finished there, just a neck back of third. Metro Glide was fifth in the octet.
The new lifetime mark was set up by an early battle for supremacy between Single Me and Sues Night Out which resulted in opening panels of :26.3 and :55. At the halfway juncture, Jets Are On was sixth but rolling up strongly on the outside, reaching second around the final bend -- three quarters in 1:23.3 -- and then on to victory on the strength of her final quarter in 28.3.
Jets Are On won for the third time in 10 starts this semester and now shows 2017 earnings of $20,440. Lifetime, Jets Are On has 26 wins and bounty of $234,563.
As the 7-2 third choice, Jets Are On rewarded her faithful with a $9.20 mutuel.
Pompano Park's Super Hi-5 was hit on Wednesday night when Surge Seelster ($10.60) took the finale for Corey Braden with Soaking Up The Sun (16-1) second, Hey Grin (44-1) third, Hurricane Howard (6-5) fourth and Brown Titan (29-1) fifth.
The lone holder of that 5-9-1-2-10 ticket gets $70,445.36 for that 20-cent winning combination.
Racing continues on Saturday night -- the final Saturday program of the season -- with a pair of carryovers: the first in the Pick-5 ($4,408) and the second in the Pentafecta fourth race ($3,906). Post time for the Saturday card is 7:20 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)