by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Baseball season ended last Wednesday night when Houston took the final game of the World Series, but Sunday night (Nov. 5) at Pompano Park, it felt like the season was still going strong. When the festivities concluded, the records showed a grand slam, two triples and three doubles on the line-up card.

The grand slam was recorded by Wally Hennessey in the four divisions of the (non-wagering) $104,275 FSBOA sponsored Stallion Stakes for 2-year-olds as the Hall of Fame driver swept them all, first with I Rhoda Daley, followed by Brian, Krinda and Gold Star Diablo.

I Rhoda Daley, a daughter of Desperado Don owned by Lee Clarke along with trainer Jason MacDougall, took the $25,200 division for trotting fillies in 2:03.2. Making a sharp quarter (:31.2) move to the front, I Rhoda Daley then proceeded on through panels of 1:01.1 and 1:32.2 before an effortless :31 finale left her 17-3/4 lengths ahead of Jennifer (John MacDonald) with Ms Katie B (Gary Braden) third.

The 2:03.2 clocking was a new lifetime mark for I Rhoda Daley, who began her racing career only six weeks ago with a win in 2:14. This win, her fifth in seven lifetime starts, pushed her bounty to $24,546, with the most lucrative portion of the Florida Stakes program just ahead.

Jay and (trainer) Kim Sears’ Brian, named after Jay’s Hall of Fame son, wired his competition for Hennessey in the $26,125 class for trotting colts and geldings, clicking off panels of :31.1, 1:03.1 and 1:34 before a :30.3 closer was more than enough to hold Treasure Quest (Tom Lehmann) safe by 4-3/4 lengths. Prairie Eclipse (Mike Deters) recovered from a miscue before the half to finish third while Jiro Dangerous and Captain Thomas picked up the minor awards completing the roster. Brian now has a 3-2-1 scorecard in seven starts with earnings of $22,655.

Krinda, a daughter of Six Of Diamonds trained by Kim Sears for husband-owner Jay, annexed her $26,650 division for pacing fillies as she blasted off the wings at the start and sliced through fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:28.2 before a :28.4 closer sealed the deal by a widening 6-1/4 lengths in a lifetime best 1:57.1. Left in her wake were Prairie Easter (Corey Braden) and Starcasim (Joe Sanzeri) with Diamond Eyes and Prairie Folish next in this quintet. In winning for the fourth time in seven career starts, Krinda vaulted her earnings to $23,637.

Hennessey completed his grand slam with Gold Star Diablo in the $26,300 class for the juvenile pacing colts and geldings. The gelded son of Mysticism, trained by Mike Deters for owner Dan Clements, was unhurried off the gate before making an explosive move to the top past the :28 opener and once on top cut the mustard the rest of the way — :56.4 and 1:26 — before the :28.3 closer stopped the clock in 1:54.3, a career best. His margin of victory measured 5-1/4 lengths over Silver Wings (Corey Braden) with Jay Jay (John MacDonald) third. Mister Special T was fourth, followed by Dontblevmejuswatch picking up the nickel in this quintet. The win was the fourth straight for Gold Star Diablo with his earnings now totaling $27,880 based on a 7-5-0-0 scorecard.

On the pari-mutuel program, Barbarian, given picture perfect handling by Rick Plano, squeaked by the vaunted Panocchio (Hennessey) in the final few yards to post a 1:51.1 win in the Open Handicap Pace. Rockntouch (Mickey McNichol) finished third with Team Captain and Sing For Me George earning minor awards in the classy sextet.

At the outset, Barbarian (post five) pushed the starting gate’s wings out of his way along with Panocchio with an opening quarter duel leaving the latter in front in :26.2. After a half in :55.1 and the next station reached in 1:24, Barbarian left the coziness of his pocket and dueled Panocchio right to the wire with the outcome decided in a photo finish.

After the race, driver Rick Plano said, “This was a question of having the slightly better trip of these two, that’s all there is to it. Wally cut it and we were drafted along. His horse certainly didn’t quit — he came his last quarter in around :27, too — but we just got the better trip tonight.”

For Barbarian, a 6-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere, it was his ninth win of the season in 28 starts, good for earnings of $49,560. He’s banked $158,111 to go along with his new lifetime mark established in this mile for owner Robert Orr and trainer Edgar Clarke. As third choice in the betting crowd, Barbarian paid $9.20.

Plano had two other wins on the card, the first with Jamaican Cowboy ($4.20) in a claiming pace and the other with E R Melvyn ($4.20) in a conditioned-optional claiming event. E R Melvyn covered his mile in 1:51.4, a seasonal best.

Plano had to share the spotlight with driver John MacDonald, who also had a triple — and a consecutive one, at that. MacDonald hit the winner’s circle with All Steinam ($3.80), followed by J Black ($3.60) and Dragon Fever ($2.60). He was also credited with two training wins, as was Paul Bernardo and Kim Sears.

Racing continues on Monday night with first post pegged at 7:20 p.m.