Pompano Park hosts Sunshine Stakes
October 20, 2019,Pompano Beach, FL — Sunshine State Stakes continued at Pompano Park on Saturday (Oct. 19) with Wally Hennessey winning five of his seven drives during the eight non-wagering events for 2 and 3-year-olds.
The Hall of Famer started his win rampage with the first time starter Prairie Gold Mine (Diamond Goal-Dr Good Gold) in the 2-year-old trot for colts and geldings and then continued his winning ways with Laurie Lee (Diamond Goal-Dr Good Gold) in the juvenile filly pace, Kerry B in the 3-year-old filly trot, Damien Hall in the sophomore trot for the three geldings entered and the outstanding Natasha in the 3-year-old filly pace.
Mike Micallef had a driving double on the card with Hurrikanekingjames in the 2-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 2-year-old 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 complete recap of the eight-race Sunshine State Stakes program:
2-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT
Prairie Delight, perfectly handled by trainer Jim McDonald, led every step of her mile, kicking off her racing career with a 2:07.3 performance–her margin of victory was 4-1/2 lengths.
The daughter of Shibboleth Hanover, owned in part by McDonald, along with Dona McDonald and Bill Bigler, carved up panels of :31.3, 1:03.3 and 1:35.1 along the way. Prairie Delight is undefeated in her two-lifetime starts.
Proud Money (Wally Hennessey) was second followed by Whitney Annette (Jay Sears) and Brasen Bo (Mickey Mc Nichol).
2-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING TROT
Prarie Gold Mine, a son of Diamond Goal, benefitted from a miscue by last week’s winner, Dave (Bryce Fenn) at the start of the race and went on to score a three-length win in 2:05.3 for Wally Hennesey.
Prairie Gold Mine is trained and co-owned by Michael Deters for owners Laurie Poulin, Fredrick Morosin and Fritz Racing.
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!”
2-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE
Laurie Lee, named after one of Florida’s most successful breeders, made a sharp quarter (:29.1) move to the top under the guidance of Wally Hennessey and went on to post panels of 1:01.1 and 1:30.3 before romping home in :28.3 to break her maiden in 1:59.1–her margin 2 lengths over Pocahontas Cam (Mike Micallef) and Alil Touch of Pink (Marc Major) just another nose back in third. Gold Star Igotdis (Walter Ross Jr) made a miscue three-eighths from home but did pick up the final check-in this quintet.
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!”
2-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING PACE
Hurrikanekingjames, already the author of a 1:55.1 over the Saratoga half-miler, had an easy task for Mike Micallef, scoring by 9-3/4 lengths over Shuldahadahunemonn (Nick Coblentz).
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.
3-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT
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 3-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.
3-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS & GELDINGS
Pacing Pretty Stable’s Damien Hall took top honors in the Sunshine State Stake for 3-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!”
3-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE
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.”
3-YEAR-OLD COLT-GELDING PACE
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.