Hennessey Hits $1 Million At Pompano
The name of 53-year-old driver Wally Hennessey can now be added to that of Bruce Ranger on the list of reinsmen surpassing $1 million in purse earnings for the 2009-2010 campaign
at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing.
Hennessey swept both ends of the Daily Double on the Wednesday’s program to surpass the milestone for the current Pompano meet, which will conclude on May 22. It should also be noted that the remarkably consistent driver originally from Charlottetown, PE is closing in on $400,000 in purses for 2010 alone. That positions him to comfortably reach the $1 million mark in driving purse earnings to continue a streak which began in 1990.
He started off the mid-week proceedings in South Florida with a handy win behind three-year-old colt Celebrity Blue Chip. The son of Credit Winner-Precious Lindy is trained by Staffan Lind for the New York ownership group of Celebrity Farms, Herbert Burns III, and Stephen Demeter. Celebrity Blue Chip sliced through the evening's swirling breezes to trot right back to the mark of 1:58.2 he earned at Pompano on April 2.
Hennessey then completed his sweep of the Daily Double with a crafty steer of claiming pacer Dynamic Rayzer. He sat third on the inside until the field turned for home and then darted out three wide to catch the favored pacesetter S F Midas in rein to Bruce Ranger. Dennis Cheesebrew trains Dynamic Rayzer, a six-year-old Blissful Hall-Melissias Dragon gelding, for owner Michael Brudner of Ohio.
The current meet has been an eventful one for Hennessey beyond achieving this earnings plateau. It was also during the 2009-2010 season in South Florida that the Goshen Hall of Fame inductee marked the occasion of 7,500 lifetime winning drives. Hennessey's seasonal residence is just to the west of Pompano at Coconut Creek and during the Summer he competes from a home base at Saratoga, New York.
Sophomores To Watch On Friday Night
The season is ramping up in South Florida for three-year-olds to start their campaigns before possibly heading to northern venues later this year where fame and fortune may await.
In the sixth race this Friday evening, Rocknroll Jewel will make his three-year-old season's debut. The Rocknroll Hanover-Michelles Jewel colt made three freshman starts at The Meadowlands and Chester last July without a win. He's a brother to $1.1 million career winner Rare Jewel, and is trained by Steve Elliott for owner and breeder Jeffrey Snyder of New York. Rocknroll Jewel goes into Friday evening's test after a winning 1:57.2 qualifying spin last Friday.
A fine match-up of promising three-year-old filly trotters could well shape up in the fourth race on Friday evening. Secret Magic was impressive in a 1:57.2 season's debut on April 2 in South Florida for owner-breeder Brittany Farms and trainer Ron Gurfein. That daughter of Cantab Hall-Chorine Hanover will be taking on the undefeated No Im Not, with trainer Jan Johnson slated to return to the bike behind the Windsongs Legacy-A Youre Adorable filly for owner Jorgen Jahre, Jr. of Norway. No Im Not won both her starts in March at Pompano in miles of 2:00.4 and her current life's mark of 1:58 respectively.
(Pompano Park)