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HENNESSEY WINS FIVE IN POMPANO STAKES ACTION

Pompano Beach, FL…Oct. 19, 2019…Sunshine State Stakes continued at Pompano Park on Saturday with Wally Hennessey winning five of his seven drives during the eight non-wagering events for two and three year-olds.

The Hall of Famer started his win rampage with the first time starter Prairie Gold Mine in the two year-old trot for colts and geldings and then continued his winning ways with Laurie Lee in the juvenile filly pace, Kerry B in the three year old filly trot, Damien Hall in the sophomore trot for the three geldings entered and the outstanding Natasha in the three year-old filly pace.

Mike Micallef had a driving double on the card with Hurrikanekingjames in the two year-old event for colts and geldings and Zaza Boy winning a thriller in the pace consisting of a sextet of soph geldings. Jim McDonald kept his winning streak in the bike going with a win back of Prairie Delight in the trot for two yearold fillies.

On the training side of the ledger, Kim Sears had a triple, Jim McDonald and Michile Lorenzo had training doubles and Mike Deters returned to the Pomp with a training win, as well.

Here is a recap of the Saturday action.

TWO YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT–PRAIRIE DELIGHT

Prairie Delight, a two year-old daughter of Shibboleth Hanover, led every stride of her mile from her outside post and scored a handy win for co-owner-trainer-driver Jim McDonald in 2:07.3. Proud Money (Wally Hennessey) was 4 1/2 lengths away in second as the winner built an insurmountable lead through panels of :31.2, 1:03.3 and 1:35.1 before coasting home unscathed. Brasen Bo (Mickey McNichol) rallied to be second. Prairie Delight is undefeated in her two lifetime starts. McDonald owns in partnership with Dona McDonald and Bill Bigler.

TWO YEAR-OLD COLT/GELDING TROT–PRAIRIE GOLD MINE

Prairie Gold Mine, making his first purse start after two qualifying events up north, made a quarter move to the top and went on to score a handy three length win for Wally Hennessey, who was in the bike for owners Laurie Poulin, Fred Morosini, Fritz Racing and trainer Mike Deters.

Carving out panels of 32.3, 1:04.2 and 1:35.3, this gelded son of Diamond Goal sprinted his final quarter in :29.4 to seal the deal over Rhinestone Cowboy (Mike Micallef) with Prairie Romeo (Dave Ingraham) next in the field of six.

After the event, Hennessey remarked, “he’s got a lot of speed alright and he could be a big factor if he minds his manners along the way. He was very sharp, especially once he got to the front!”

TWO YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE–LAURIE LEE

Laurie Lee, with Wally Hennessey in her sulky driving for trainer Kim Sears and owners Jay Sears and Richard Dunmire, scored a two length win over the late charging Pocahontas Cam (Mike Micallef) with Alil Touch of Pink (Marc Major) next, 4 1/4 lengths away.

The daughter of Royel MIllennium showed speed leaving from post four, took the field through a :29.1 opener and loafed to a 1:01.1 half before beginning her halfmile sprint home with a :29.2 third panel and :28.3 final, hitting the wire in 1:59.1.

It was her second consecutive win in Sunshine State Stakes action prompting Hennessey to briefly remark, “Pretty impressive…she might just be the real deal going down the line!”

TWO YEAR-OLD COLT-GELDING PACE–HURRIKANEKINGJAMES

In a similar situation to last week, Hurrikanekingjames, driven by Mike Micallef, coasted around the Pompano Park oval in an effortless 2:00 off of fractions of :31, 1:01 and 1:30.2.

The son of So Surreal, trained by Michile Lorenzo for Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing, Pegasis Investments and George Vierno, took advantage of rail post position in this “match race” or sorts and led at every pole, scoring a win measuring close to 10 lengths over Shuldahadahunemoon (Nick Cobelntz). The “seasoned” Hurrikanekingjames now has three wins in 11 starts as a juvenile with earnings of over $56,000.

THREE YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT–KERRY B

Kerry B, confidently handled by Wally Hennessey for trainer Kim Sears and owner -husband Jay, scored a handy win over her only opponent, Crown Bushy (Bryce Fenn) in the three year-old filly trot, stopping the timer in 2:01.

The daughter of Muscle Mass, drawing the “outside” post in her event, allowed Crown Bushy to take advantage of the draw early before making a quarter (:30.2) to the top and posting subsequent panels of 1:01 and 1:31.1 before striding home in :29.2, reporting to the wire by 1 1/4 lengths.

Obviously enjoying her Pompano Park surroundings, Kerry B pushed her bankroll to $56,067 mark–$47,095 of that earned in South Florida.

THREE YEAR-OLD COLT/GELDING TROT–DAMIEN HALL

Pacing Pretty Stable’s Damien Hall took top honors in the Sunshine State Stake for three year-old trotting geldings with a gate-to-wire win in 2:00.2–a new lifetime mark–for Wally Hennessey, in the bike this week for trainer Jim McDonald.

The sophomore son of Cash Hall out-brushed his rivals from his outside post and posted fractions of :29.3, 1:01.2 and 1:31.4 before a :28.3 final sprint home left him 2 1/4 lengths ahead of the much improved McGoldrick (Dave Ingraham) with Savin Park (John Campagnuolo) completing the order.

It was the second straight win for Damien Hall, who scored with McDonald in the sulky last week.

In explaining the switch to Hennessey this time around, McDonald said, “It’s simple logic. Wally cannot beat me if he’s on my horse!”

THREE YEAR-OLD FILLY PAVE–NATASHA

Natasha, described as a “freak” by driver Wally Hennessey, extended her winning streak to 11 stretching back to last season with a very handy 1:56 win for the Kim Sears trainee.

Owned by Jay Sears, the daughter of Six of Diamonds let Gold Star Stormie (Walter Ross, Jr.) take the field through an opener of :28.1 before a sharp and confident quarter move to the top precluded subsequent panels of :57.3 and 1:27.2 before charging home in :28.3 to seal the deal over Gold Star Stormie and Rockin Ellie (Dave Ingraham).

After the opening panel, the only minor challenge came from Lime Twist, who brushed up on the backside to engage the leader around the final bend. After the event, driver Hennessey remarked, “She s a ‘freak. That’s all there is to it. She just knows and does what she’s supposed to do…and without much effort.”

THREE YEAR-OLD COLT/GELDING PACE–ZAZA BOY

Zaza Boy, driven by Mike Micallef, eked out a nostril decision over the late charging JB’s Boomerang (Bryce Fenn) in a lifetime best 1:54.4.

The altered son of Rockincam, trainer by Michile Lorenzo for owners Souren Hovsepian and Rod Lorenzo lowered his mark of 1:56.1 established last week, fending off the :27.4 closing kick of JB’s Boomerang prompting driver Micallef to say, “It was nip and tuck all the way home. Zaza (Boy) kept fighting all the way and, to tell you the truth, I didn’t know if he got there or not…but he fought all the way!”

Mister Marvalous (Wally Hennessey) was third over O’Brockoli and Gold Star Yoder in the talented sextet.

Zaza Boy led gate-to-wire (as he did last week) and carded panels of ;27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.1 and needed every ounce of his :28.3 finale to win it.

Sunshine State Stakes action continues with the third leg next Saturday with post time set for 11:00 a.m. after qualifiers.

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Reported by John Berry for the FSBOA and Pompano Park