Continuing what has been an incredible season in the sulky for Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey, the veteran reinsman had another monster matinee on Monday, Sept. 16 at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The 67-year-old Hennessey enjoyed a five-win afternoon on Monday highlighted by a victory in the feature and a stretch in which he won five of six races on the card.
Hennessey got the call from trainer Jordan Derue to pilot newcomer Rec Time, a four-year-old daughter of Huntsville who enjoyed a six-figure 2023 campaign. The former Hippodrome 3R Preferred distaffer extended her current win streak to seven in her debut for new local connections, D Racing Stable and Jason Sullinger.
Rec Time had some difficulties behind the gate in Monday’s feature when she went off as the 3-5 betting favourite in the $20,270 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace. Hennessey wound up negotiating a second-over trip with Rec Time, who followed Milieu Hanover (Billy Dobson) throughout the second half of the mile that culminated with seven mares finishing within three lengths of one another at the wire. Rec Time surged late to stop the timer in a season's best 1:54.2. Milieu Hanover was out for the majority of the mile and still finished second while Laurie Lee (Mark Beckwith) earned the show spot.
Rec Time joined stablemate Waitforever N in scoring Monday victories as Hennessey piloted that Derue trainee to her first local win in her sixth Spa start.
Hennessey has surged into second in the driver standings at Saratoga this season despite the fact that he’s driven several hundred less times in ’24 than the majority of his fellow top drivers.
Derue completed a Monday training triple when he piloted his own Quite Beachy to a 1:56.1 victory in a $10,811 conditioned pace for fillies and mares.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time of 5 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)