by M. Kelly Young, for Goshen Historic Track

Goshen, NY — Wally Hennessey was back at Historic Track on Sunday (July 1) and back to winning in the New York Sires Stakes.

Hennessey, one of the winningest drivers in the history of the Sires Stakes, was inducted after the races into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. But during the day, however, the Prince Edward Island native picked up several catch drives and a victory on the 17-race card that featured New York Sires Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colts and fillies.

Hennessey, who moved permanently to Florida several years ago and has not driven regularly on the New York circuit since then, was at Historic Track last year when Moni Maker, the richest mare of all-time who Hennessey drove, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“When I came back last year, it was good to see everybody, it had been a while since I’d been here. I got to catch up with everyone, but I didn’t drive, I just visited the backstretch,” recalled Hennessey between races.

“This time, it’s only been a year, but it’s nice to be out there racing with the same guys I had for 15 or 18 years and driving horses for guys I’ve known for a very long time.”

Hennessey, who couldn’t avoid almost constant congratulations on the backstretch, escaped long enough to score a Sires Stakes victory with Lapponia in 2:04. It was a maiden-breaking score for the Conway Hall filly. She is trained by Arild Eggen for owner Bjornar Hogseth.

“They didn’t shut me out of the Sires Stakes today,” said Hennessey with a smile after the victory. “When I was racing here in New York, this and (the State Fair in) Syracuse were my two favorite places to race.”

Hennessey also finished second in the Hall of Fame Invitational Trot against the exclusive club of horsemen he would join later in the evening.

Also on the card, trainer-driver Bill Bailey and trotting colt Jack’s Reef upset New Hampshire Boy by a nose in a three-horse photo at the wire. New Hampshire Boy, trained and driven by Goshen-based Ray Schnittker, had been on a two-race winning streak and had already stamped himself as the one to beat among his peers. Alpine Intruder was up for third. Jack’s Reef’s 2:01.2 score was the fastest colt division of the day.

“I think Jack’s Reef is one of the better colts, but this track helps even it up,” explained Bailey of his charge. “He is a big horse, but he gets around a half-mile pretty well.”

“This is my lucky track,” said Paul Nower, who owns the horse with his wife, Pauline. “I’ve always gotten beat by the big horse, so now I have one.”

Jack’s Reef measures 17 hands, an extremely tall harness horse. He is a son of Credit Winner and was the highest priced yearling at the Morrisville College yearling sale in 2005 at $55,000. The colt was selected by Gary Gibson, the Nowers’ prior trainer who passed away last year.

“This is special because it’s for Gary,” said Nower. “He was a great trainer and we hope he’s looking down.”

Hurleyville resident Alan Schwartz directed his homebred Iroquoindianscout to a 2:04 maiden-breaking win in another colt division. The driver sat an energy-saving pocket trip, then exploded in the lane to win by 4-3/4 lengths.

“He’s a well-bred horse,” explained Schwartz, who also owns the son of Giant Hit. “We didn’t get him going as a 2-year-old and even up to a few months ago, he wasn’t making it. But he suddenly came around on his own and has started doing well.

“He was just a squeamish colt, he was scared of everything,” explained Schwartz. “We tried everything on him to get him right, every single bridle known to man, with hopples, without hopples. He just turned around on his own. Now we have a blind bridle and hopples on him. He has ability and he’s probably one of the better colts I’ve had.”

Trainer-driver Howard Okusko, Jr. scored back-to-back New York Sires Stake victories for Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stable with Lady Conway in 2:02.1 and colt Cyber Hall in 2:03.3.

Hungadream scored the fastest filly division of the day in 2:00.4. She is owned and trained by Paul Doherty and was driven by Hall of Famer Jim Doherty.

Racing action continues on Monday (July 2) at Historic Track with the Landmark Stakes for 2-year-old trotters and pacers. Racing continues daily through Wednesday (July 4) with a first post of 1:00 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and children 12 and under are free.

The Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, adjacent to the track, is open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily and has free admission. The new class of Hall of Famers, Jimmy Arthur, Wally Hennessey and F. Phillip Langley, were inducted Sunday evening and their honorary statues will be on display.