Where does a horseman spend his honeymoon? If you're Mike Hennessy, you're spending it at the track you're dominating.
Fresh from a five-win performance in his most recent appearance at The Track On 2 on Sept. 1, and basking in newlywed afterglow after saying 'I do' to Track on 2 photographer Crystal Cole this past weekend, Hennessy clicked for another five-bagger during the afternoon card of harness racing at the Lacombe, Alta. oval on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
Outlawperfectiming ($2.10) got the party started for Hennessy in the second race. The reinsman declined a pocket spot with the sophomore and sent him to the top instead, and he had little work to do from there as the gelding paced strongly in front and powered away to a 3-1/2-length victory in 1:58.1. He piloted Outlawperfectiming for his father, trainer Rod Hennessy.
Riskofthunderstorm is never a desirable forecast on wedding day, but the mare was a welcome addition to Mike Hennessy's win total on the racetrack with a dominant performance in the third race. The five-year-old's 1:56.2 victory was the first of four tallies for the combination of Hennessy and conditioner Travis Ellis. She paid $2.40 to win.
Hennessy secured a triple in the fourth race with Severe Turbulence ($5.20), who rode the pocket into the stretch, then peeled out and collared pacesetter Bud Neigh Kid (Blaine Chappell) to win by a half-length in 1:56.2.
The reinsman then won the fifth with Loaded Dragon ($4.90), who brushed to the lead on the backside and held off the cavalry charge down the lane for a quarter-length win in 1:56.2.
Hennessy returned to the winner's circle in the finale with Credit Is Magic ($2.70), who got to the lead at the quarter and went all the way from there for a 1:54.3 victory. Ellis completed his quadruple with the win.
Hennessy's five wins on the eight-race card extended his lead in the drivers' standings to 12. Alberta's defending Driver of the Year has racked up 116 wins overall this year and is striking at a 21 per cent clip as he approaches a third straight campaign with more than $1 million in earnings.
Ellis's grand slam put him in the lead among Track On 2 trainers as he shot from tied-fourth to first, surpassing Brinsley Brooking Lutz, who has seven wins. Ellis, the province's 2024 champion trainer, has won 25 per cent of starts across all tracks this season with 63 total scores.
To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - The Track On 2.
(Standardbred Canada)