by Frank Salive, publicity director, Isle Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — She’s provided a wealth of memories and a track record performance in her career in South Florida, but the racing career of 6-year-old pacing mare Esmeralda Semalu is now in its final stages.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Esmeralda Semalu racked up the 30th win of her great career on the Tuesday program in 1:53.3.

“This year I was never able to get her past about 60 percent of what she used to be,” trainer/driver Joe Pavia, Jr. declared in a live trackside TV interview after his stable stalwart’s romp in the Tuesday evening featured event at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. “It might not look like it since she’s won seven of 30 starts with over $82,000 this year and she was good tonight, but she seems to be telling us it will soon be time for her second career as a broodmare.”

In the $12,000 fillies and mares winners over $10,000 lifetime event, Esmeralda Semalu was embroiled in an early duel for the lead to the quarter in :27.2 with Nillabomb and driver Joshua Sutton. Once in command, Esmeralda Semalu was able to rate the half in :57 and she disposed a mild third quarter bid by Martha Brown with Bruce Ranger in tow to the final turn in 1:25. The career winner of almost $400,000 had a :28.3 closer in reserve to handily outstep Nillabomb. Another Judy with Jason Dillander in the bike won the photo for the show position.

It was the 30th career win for Esmeralda Semalu, a Quebec-bred daughter of Electric Stena-Anemone Semalu owned by BJR and AGC Stables. In South Florida, the mare is best remembered for her jaw-dropping 1:49.4 pacing mares track record spin on March 10, 2009 which was just a fifth of a second from the all-age track record held by Load The Dice.

“We’re not really sure who her first breeding will be to, I guess the big question is whether we’ll want her first foal to be for the Sires Stakes program in Pennsylvania or New York,” Pavia said. “Her final race is likely to be early in Feburary of 2011. Then we’ll hope she can pass on her talent and toughness to her fillies and colts in her career as a broodmare.”

Saturday night’s tally: more than $400,000 in purses

The draw has been completed for the 2010 Super Night at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, with well over $400,000 in purses going on the line in the Breeders Stake Championships which concludes the four event Fall Series of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association.

The richest annual night in South Florida harness racing will commence with a non-wagering event for the 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday evening, Dec. 11. The gala 12-race card will then follow in a showcase presentation for the state-bred program.

Through May of 2011, post time is 7:05 p.m. (EST) at The Winter Capital of Harness Racing every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday evening. The scheduling exception in December will see a program added on Thursday, Dec. 23, with no live racing on Saturday, Dec. 25.