Duc Dorleans now $616,270 in earnings

Duc Dorleans, smartly handled by Wally Hennessey, won Pompano Park's $12,000 Open Pace on Sunday night (December 4), stopping the timer in a season's best 1:50.1. (He also had a 1:50.1 win over the larger Mohawk seven-eighths oval.)

The six year-old son of Shanghai Phil scored by 1 1/4 lengths over the late charging Sing For Me George (Kevin Wallis) with Rockntouch (Mickey McNichol) third, 2 1/4 lengths away.

Abreathofreshart was fourth while Pop Cop, prominent much of the way, earned the minor award in the septet.

At the outset, Pop Cop, leaving from the rail, and Here Come William, post five, got into a very heated war ear;y with Pop Cop refusing to yield through an opener in :25.4.

At this stage, Duc Dorleans (post six) was also on the prowl as the Hummer Starting Gate sped away but smartly took a seat in third, three lengths off the sizzling pace.

With a half in :53.4, positions remained unchanged but, on the backside, Hennessey sent Duc Dorleans sprinting forward and to a short lead around the final turn and past the third station in 1:21.3.

In the lane, Duc Dorleans edged past the stubborn Pop Cop, drew clear at mid-stretch and then held off the five wide surge of Sing For Me George, who was dead last turning for home.

In the winner's circle, Hennessey said, "being outside of those two that were in a dig-fight early was a blessing because they opened up some daylight, allowing me to tuck in third.

"Yes, he does like the front end, but I wasn't about to get into a war that I wasn't going to be able to win. When I asked him on the backstretch, he responded like the good horse he is. It was a good team effort this time around."

Trained by Jacques Dupont for Gestion Levesque 2005, Inc. and Les Ecuries Dorleans, Duc Dorleans now boasts $616,270 in career earnings–$66,168 this year.

As the even money proposition on the tote-board, Duc Dorleans returned a mutuel of $4.00.

In the $10,000 Open 2 Pace, Whogoesfirst, with Wally Hennessey in the bike, survived some early sizzling fraction on the front end–:26.1, :54.2 and 1:23–to take top honors in 1:51.2, holding off the late surge along the pylons by Legal Spike (Ricky Macomber, Jr.) to hit the line a half-length to the good.

No Bad Dreams (Dave Ingraham) used a menacing brush on the backside during the third quarter–moving from seventh to second–to finish third, a length away.

Major Deagan, far back early, paced the fastest final panel of all–:27.2–to finish a fast closing fourth while Winyard Hanover, prominent most of the way, picked up the nickel in the field of nine.

In a post-race interview, Hennessey said, "I really didn't want to go :54 and a piece to the half…but the horse sure did. Then I thought that he might not have that much left in the tank late, so this was a surprisingly good mile."

Whogoesfirst, an eight year-old gelded son of Cambest, won for the third time this year and 27th time career-wise to send his lifetime bounty to $446,478–$56,458 this year.

The winner, owned by the S&P Racing Stable along with trainer Luanne Case, was second choice on the tote-board and returned $9.20 to win.

In the $8,500 Condition/Claiming ($20,000) pace, Blue Hour Power, driven by Ricky Macomber, survived a rugged beginning before taking command after a :27.2 opener, and posted subsequent panels of :55.4 and 1:23.4 before sealing the issue with a :27.2 sprint home to score in 1:51.1.

Trained by Jamie Macomber for Wilber Eash, Blue Hour Power, a five year-old son of Sand Shooter, pinned a 3½ length defeat on Respectable Dream (John Mac Donald) with The Best of Joel (Kevin Wallis) a ground saving third, 5¼ lengths away.

Grande Seelster, prominent early while looping the field for the early lead form post nine, was fourth while Owosso Flash finished fifth in the field of nine.

Blue Hour Power won for the 10th time this semester, pushing his seasonal bounty to $94,980 and $606,111 lifetime.

Off as the 2 to 5 favorite on a drop down in class, Blue Hour Power paid $2.80 to win.

In the better for the bettor department, one fortunate player cashed in on a 20 cent Pentafecta ticket worth $6,303.92 when amateur driver Billy Muggleston steered B Cor Thomas ($18.80) to upset victory in the second of two events for the Florida Amateur Driving Club.

The nine year-old altered son of Mutineer scored in a lifetime best 1:56.2 for his fourth win of the year.

Rush N Supreme (Mitchell Walker), off at 5 to 1, finished second, favored Czech It Out (Fred Cohen) 3 to 2 on the tote-board, was third and JLs Too Hot Taj, 64 to 1, was fourth and Holiday Spirit, 19 to 1, completed the Pentafecta bonanza order of finish.

The winner is owned and trained by Fannie Saul-Beaulieu and the win pushed his seasonal bounty to $23,219, his best season ever.

The other amateur event went to Total Freedom with Dein Spriggs in the bike.

This six year-old daughter of Crazed, owned and trained by Leopold Sawyers, used a :28.2 kick home to get by a stubborn Global Power (Mitchell Walker) by three-parts-of-a-length in 2:00 for her fourth win of the year.

New Scent (Dennis Whittemore) overcame the outside nine post to finish third while Blueridge Empire and Act Of Valor picked up the final two awards.

Pompano Park's leading driver, Wally Hennessey, had another huge night, scoring five wins on the 10 race program.

Racing continues of Monday night with post time set at 7:20 p.m.

by John Berry for Pompano Park