Pompano Beach, FL — Trainer Mike Deters and driver Wally Hennessey teamed up to take the twin features on Sunday night (Dec. 27) at Pompano Park.

Prairie Panther and Rebellious were the two stars that shined on this night with the former taking top honors in the $11,500 Open Handicap Pace and Rebellious scoring in the companion $10,000 Open II event.

Prairie Panther, driven by Wally Hennessey, took top honors at Pompano Park on Sunday. Dee Leftwich photo.

Prairie Panther, trained by Deters, who co-owns with Laurie Poulin, is a 6-year-old Florida bred altered son of Royel Millennium and showed his true grit with a 1:51 score. He went first up with a backside bid to draw on even terms with the leader at the top of the lane and went on to a 2-3/4 length win over Kinnder Jackson (Mike Simons) with Ideal Feeling (Dave Ingraham) third. Bell I No and Lyons Night Hawk, starting saddled with the two outside posts, rallied to pick up the final two awards.

The win was the sixth of the year for Prairie Panther and once again spoiled the chances of Southwind Amazon to record a historic 100th lifetime win. Southwind Amazon eventually finished eighth.

Indeed, it was Southwind Amazon (Mike Micallef) who was intent on controlling the festivities by blasting off the wings from his three post to put Kinnder Jackson in the garden spot through :26.2 sizzler to open the contest with a :55.1 half to follow. Meanwhile, Hennessey had Prairie Panther in fourth for the first half before tilting to the outside on the backstretch uncovered to begin his assault and moving alongside the leader at the third station in 1:22.4.

“He just has this great tenacity and heart,” said Hennessey, “and, once he puts his mind to it, he doesn’t quit until it’s all done.”

The win sent Prairie Panther’s 2020 bounty to $57,858. Lifetime, he’s won 41 of his 95 career starts, good for $389,980. Off at 9-5 on the toteboard, Prairie Panther paid $5.60 to win.

That $10,000 Open II Pace went to Rebellious for Hennessey in 1:51 as well, scoring by a neck over a game Skip To My Lou (Joe Chindano Jr.) with Solo Story (Braxton Boyd) closing fastest of all for third, 2-1/4 lengths away. The early leader Mac Anover was fourth while Agedchedar Hanover picked up the minor award in the field of nine,

Beginning from the outside nine post, Rebellious left cautiously as Mac Anover (post eight) zipped off the wings into an early lead with Skip To My Lou on the move early as well with these two nostrils apart at the hot :26.1 opener. Rebellious found a spot in sixth at this spot. With Skip To My Lou and Mac Anover one-two at the half in :55.1, Rebellious was out and gnawing away fifth and on a serious binge of his own, denting an official :27.2 third panel with a :26.4 split of his own, drawing on even terms with the leader as they straightened away for the drive to the wire and edging away slowly in deep stretch for the narrow win.

After the race, Hennessey related, “This wasn’t the easiest trip for the horse as Chindano’s horse (Skip To My Lou) was very game tonight, especially after they put up a :26 and change number early. But Rebellious is a pretty darn game performer himself and he proved that again tonight.”

Trained by Deters, who co-owns with Joel Warner, this son of Mach Three won for the eighth time this year in 23 starts, good for $51,570 in bounty. Lifetime, the 6-year-old has won 41 times and earned $323,956 to go along with his 1:49 mark at Tioga Downs last year. Off at 3-5 on the toteboard, Rebellious paid $3.40 to his multitude of faithful.

Toteboard fireworks followed in the very next race as Dash Of Danger, driven by Kyle Husted, eked out a narrow win to complete the Pick-5 with that 3-8-3-9-1 combination returning $14,650.50 for the 50-cent ducat.

Racing continues on Monday with a $15,000 guaranteed pool on the track’s popular Pick-4 and a Super Hi-5 carryover of $23,575.18. Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.