The newest world record holder, Esmeralda Semalu ($2.60), strutted her stuff once again winning the $16,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace Tuesday at the Isle Pompano Park
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Racing again against rival world record holder, U All BB, Esmeralda Semalu, and trainer/driver Joe Pavia, Jr. left little doubt that she is the top pacing mare currently in harness racing.
After getting parked out by U All BB (Bruce Ranger) to the opening quarter mile in the third race feature in :27.3, Pavia settled Esmeralda Semalu on the front end and she led the field to the half mile in :56.4 and then the three-quarters in 1:24.3. Then Pavia let Esmeralda Semalu pull away from the field with a :27.2 last quarter mile to win by five and three-quarter lengths in 1:52. Atlantic Filly (Andy Santeramo) was able to close for second place with U All BB fading to third.
It was the second straight victory and sixth win in nine starts this year for Esmeralda Semalu. Owned by the BJR Stables of Boca Raton and the AGC Stables of Highland Beach, Esmeralda Semalu is a five-year-old daughter of Electric Stena from the Magical Mike mare, Anemone Semalu. She has yet to finish out of the money in her nine starts. In her last start she became the world’s fastest older mare on a five-eighths mile track with a lifetime best 1:49.4 victory.
(With files from Pompano)