by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Panocchio, driven by Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey, overcame the outside nine post, eight worthy opponents and a very tough journey to score a courageous win in Pompano Park’s $15,000 Open Handicap Pace on Sunday night (March 20).

Skip Smith photo

Panocchio took the $15,000 Open Handicap Pace on Sunday night.

Stopping the timer in 1:49.3, Panocchio held on gamely in the final stages to score by a neck over the late charging Dedi’s Dragon, handled by Ricky Macomber Jr., with Southwind Amazon also in the photo, third for Mike Micallef. Whogoesfirst was fourth in the mile, four lengths away, while Winyard Hanover, smartly saving ground the entire route, picked up the nickel in the field of nine.

Panocchio, assigned the outside post this week off of last week’s win, left with alacrity but Whogoesfirst (post six, Kevin Wallis) and Dedi’s Dragon (post seven) were also on the engine leaving and these three were across the track during a hot opener of :26.3. Right at that opening juncture, Dedi’s Dragon stuck his nose in front while Panocchio, still double-bubbled, continued to press forward, reaching the half in :55. On the backside, Southwind Amazon began brushing forward — strongly — and pacing his third quarter in :26.1, sprinted right alongside Panocchio, with this pair reaching the third station in 1:22.

In the lane, Panocchio was fighting ferociously as Southwind Amazon was grudgingly keeping pace with Dedi’s Dragon finding a seam in mid-stretch and also closing in. But Panocchio completed his final quarter in :27.3 and would not be denied on this night.

In a post race interview, driver Wally Hennessey related, “What a mile he went. This was a tough journey from the nine post. Heck, they threw everything but the kitchen sink at him early. He was three deep — and I had no other choice — three-eighths into the mile and paced his last half in :54.3 to get the job done. It doesn’t get much more gutsy than that.

“Give credit where credit is due. Jim (trainer Mattison) and (wife) Vicki do just an amazing job with him and the whole stable, for that matter. He is one special horse, Panocchio is.”

Owned by Mattison along with Emile Johnson Jr., Panocchio, a 6-year-old gelded son of No Pan Intended, won for the third time this year in six starts, good for $32,660 with his lifetime bounty now at $323,427 on the strength of 39 wins in 88 career starts. Despite starting from the nine post in a field with six sub-1:50 performers among the group, Panocchio was sent to the starting gate as the 3-5 favorite and returned $3.20 to win.

In other news, Prairie Jaguar returned to his winning ways with Hennessey driving as this 8-year-old Florida bred Spy Hard gelding made a huge brush forward from fourth and after pacing his middle half in :54 held on to score a win in 1:50.3 over Rock On Moe (Dan Daley) with Regalanthropist (Aaron Byron) third. Cadillac Phil and Nicholas Ryan were next in the octet.

Owned by Laurie Lee Poulin along with trainer Mike Deters, Prairie Jaguar earned his 27th lifetime win to send his earnings to $198,857. Prairie Jaguar returned $5.40 to his faithful.

In the $11,000 co-feature sporting $30,000 claiming pacers, Mister Virgin, driven by Ricky Macomber Jr., scored a narrow win in 1:51 for the J L Benson Stables. Trained by Paul Holzman, Mister Virgin, a 6-year-old altered son of Always A Virgin, earned his initial win of the year in 11 starts to send his career bounty to $255,436. Buddha Blue Chip (Mike Micallef) finished second, a scant nostril back, with Barbarian (John Cummings Jr.) next. Off at 6-5 on the toteboard, Mister Virgin returned $4.60 to win.

This was just one of three wins on the Sunday card for the Macomber-Holzman tandem as Officernagentleman ($3.40) scored in 1:52.2 for the J L Benson Stables and Rick’s Sign ($3.40) won in 1:53 for owner Mary Holzman. It was this 11-year-old’s 61st lifetime victory in 271 career starts.

On the Hennessey watch, Wally had four wins on the card, leaving him 17 shy of 9,000 lifetime wins.

Racing continues on Monday night with the track’s popular Super Hi-5 jackpot carryover now at $93,876.42. Post time is 7:30 p.m.