by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Hurrikane Empress already has a New Jersey Sire Stakes championship to her credit and could add the $250,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes title for 2-year-old female pacers with a win at Lexington’s Red Mile on Sunday night (Sept. 17).

Not bad for a horse that trainer John McDermott figures is something of a fluke to even exist.

McDermott’s Hurrikane Racing, along with Jonathan Klee Racing and Kuhen Racing, bred Hurrikane Empress. She is a daughter of former McDermott star Hurrikane Kingcole out of the mare Hurrikane Schmumma.

Hurrikane Schmumma raced for McDermott, but he sold the filly during the summer of her 3-year-old season in 2013. She was unsuccessful for her new connections and six months later she returned to McDermott in exchange for a horse he recently claimed.

She raced several more times for McDermott, but he told the ownership group her true value was as a broodmare. He suggested test breeding stallion Hurrikane Kingcole, then sidelined by health issues, to Hurrikane Schmumma and everyone agreed.

The result was Hurrikane Empress.

Lisa photo

Hurrikane Empress, whose family includes Dan Patch Award-winners Total Truth and Totally Ruthless, has won four of eight races this year and earned $101,400.

“It was a one-shot thing and she’s turned out to be dynamite,” McDermott said. “It was just a freak thing. ‘Cole’ threw out a really good horse on his first time. She’s not just OK, she’s a really, really good horse. She’s not a great horse, but she’s a really good horse.”

Hurrikane Kingcole was a registered New Jersey stallion and Hurrikane Schmumma foaled Hurrikane Empress in Kentucky, making the filly eligible to both sire stakes programs. Kentucky in 2014 changed its requirements to allow the offspring of mares residing in Kentucky for at least 180 consecutive days eligible to the program there.

“Amazingly, I came up with an idea that worked for once in my life,” McDermott said with a laugh. “I would love to be the first New Jersey and Kentucky champion in the sire stakes. That would be phenomenal. There are really nice horses in there, but I know my filly and she hasn’t raced at her top ability yet.”

Hurrikane Empress, whose family includes Dan Patch Award-winners Total Truth and Totally Ruthless, has won four of eight races this year and earned $101,400. She has battled sickness since arriving in Lexington for the three preliminary rounds of the Kentucky Sire Stakes series, but finished second in her two most recent races.

Tim Tetrick will drive Hurrikane Empress, who will start the championship for 2-year-old female pacers from post No. 10. Outside posts usually produce a low percentage of winners, but horses starting from post 10 at The Red Mile have won five of 33 tries, a 15.2 percent win rate.

Hurrikane Empress is 9-2 on the morning line, third choice behind Tony Alagna’s undefeated Band Stand (9-5) and Brian Brown’s Pure Paradise (7-2).

McDermott said Hurrikane Empress possesses the best qualities from her sire and dam. Hurrikane Kingcole, speedy but rarely healthy, won 14 of 49 career races and equaled a world record in 2012 with a 1:48.1 mile at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. The stallion now performs stud duty in Australia.

“She has her dad’s looks and power, but her dad was very high key and she’s as mellow as can be,” McDermott said. “She’s such a professional. She acts like she’s 5 years old already.

“Schmumma was very intelligent and calm. I think the calmness is there from the mom. But the calmness does me no good if when I ask her to go there’s no go. When (Hurrikane Empress) sprints home in 26 seconds, that all comes from daddy.”

McDermott believes the success of Hurrikane Empress is a good sign for Hurrikane Kingcole’s offspring.

“People ask me how I compare Cole to other horses I’ve had and the only way I can is to tell them they have a tail and four legs,” McDermott said. “That’s it. None of them have the power or strength or personality. He was the complete package, he just was never healthy.

“(Australian breeder) Kevin Seymour has gotten two good books for Cole and I think he’s going to be big-time rewarded. I think he’s going to be a phenomenal sire. You don’t get a horse like this filly in one shot. It’s just not heard of.”

All eight Kentucky Sire Stakes championships for 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters will be held Sunday at The Red Mile. Racing begins at 7 p.m., with the Kentucky Sire Stakes finals scheduled as the first eight races of the night.

The morning-line favorites in each division are 3-year-old male pacer V Power (4-5), 2-year-old female trotter Lily Stride (7-5), 3-year-old female pacer Al-mar-got A Fever (2-1), 3-year-old male trotter Starlight As (8-5), 3-year-old female trotter Cassandra As (7-5), 2-year-old male pacer Grand Teton (9-5) and 2-year-old male trotter Wolfgang (2-1).

Click here for Sunday’s full card at The Red Mile.