Former Maritime trotting star Waiting On A Woman, who avoided disaster and almost fell down in his last start when a hopple broke midway through his mile, stayed on his feet perfectly on Wednesday night at Pompano Park to score what turned out to be a handy win in the $10,500 Open I Trot.
With Wally Hennessey handling the five-year-old’s lines, Waiting On A Woman took command when the Hummer Starting Gate opened and led the rest of the way, although he did get a brief scare around the final bend.
The winning margin was officially a length and a quarter with the final time clocked at 1:55, this after a tepid opening panel of :29 and subsequent fractions of :57.3 and 1:26.1.
Celebrity Legacy and Bruce Ranger teamed up to be second with Pure Barre rallying late to be third. Last week’s winner, Ill Tell You What, handled by Dave Ingraham, was fourth with Adenium and Dan Daley getting the final cheque after the disqualification of the Tom Sells-driven Dutchess Seelster, that had originally finished fifth.
Hennessey seemed a trifle surprised at the Northern Bailey gelding’s powerful performance.
“He darn near had a disaster in his last race and then he missed a week so I was very happy we were able to get down to the quarter in only :29," he said. "You know, the more gasoline you can save early means there’s more in the tank when it really counts!”
Indeed.
After three-eighths of a mile, Ill Tell You What was out of the fifth spot and trotting up strongly into second halfway through the mile and continued to apply the pressure on the backside to the far turn, getting within a neck of the leader turning for home. But Hennessey “stepped on the gas pedal” and Waiting On A Woman responded, opening up an insurmountable lead a 16th of a mile out and cruised home an easy winner.
Trained by Travis Kolaczynski for the New Jennsration Stable, Waiting On A Woman is now is four-for-five in 2013 with $18,000 on his card, just a smidgen away from his 2012 earnings of $19,474.
Also on the card, trainer Donna Horly registered her first lifetime training victory when her own Tough Chief won a conditioned event, defeating Gators Gone Native and heavily favoured Ashnstellsfun in a lifetime-best 1:56.4. Rick Plano drove the four-year-old Florida-bred to the milestone victory.
(With files from Pompano Park)