Dutchess Seelster, the Duke Of York mare that equalled Pompano Park’s track trotting record for her age, sex and gait with a 1:54.2 win on December 9, copied that performance on Wednesday night in the Open 1 feature over the South Florida five-eighths mile oval.
Trained by Don Glowacki for owner John Campagnuolo, the seven-year-old was driven by Wally Hennessey, who gave her a picture perfect drive in scoring the decision measuring a length and a half over Blushing Hanover, handled by Mickey McNichol.
Gale Warning and Kevin Wallis were third in the mile, three lengths off the winner, while Prairie Big John and Tom Sells finished fourth with favoured Adenium and Joe Pavia Jr. grabbing the last “nickel.”
At the outset, Shes All In, with Rick Plano in the bike, made an uncharacteristic miscue from her four post leaving an opportunity for both Dutchess Seelster and Blushing Hanover to leave and vie for the lead.
"The Dutchess" took the lead first, but by the mid-point on the opening turn, Blushing Hanover had made the top and clicked off panels of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:25.1 with Dutchess Seelster enjoying the garden trip and Adenium making a mild bid before faltering around turn three.
Turning for home, Hennessey left his cozy pocket and marched on by in mid-stretch for the handy score.
As third choice in the betting, Dutchess Seelster paid $9.80 to win.
Hennessey had high praise for the mare’s performance. “She really did this all by herself tonight. It was she that seemed to just follow the gate out of there and then she became very relaxed in letting Mickey’s mare [Blushing Hanover] go. At the top of the lane, I just tilted her out a bit and she did the rest. She was very good tonight.”
For the lightly-raced Dutchess Seelster — she started only 14 times last year — it was her 21st lifetime win in 81 starts pushing her career bounty to $214,726.
Hennessey also won the Open 2 Trot with former Maritime star Waiting On A Woman. The five-year-old gelded son of Northern Bailey scoring a handy win in 1:55.1 over Commander K (Wallis) and My Revenuer (Stephane Lareau). The winner is trained by Travis Kolaczynski for New Jennaration.
(With files from Pompano)