Sunshine State Stakes Finals contests at Sunshine Meadows

Delray Beach, FL…Nov. 17, 2024…Sunshine Meadows Equestrian Village played host to the Florida Standardbred Owners and Breeders Association (FSBOA) Sunshine State Stakes Finals on Saturday (November 16) with $56,000 up for grans in the eight race finals for harness racing two and three-year-olds.

Once again, Nick Coblemtz led all trainers with a “grand slam” and the newest member of harness racing’s all-time dash winning top 10 drivers, Wally Hennessey, returned to South Florida for the action and promptly scored a driving triple—his lifetime total now at 11,873.

The ownership trio of Laurie Poulin, Fred Morosini and Patricia Fritz had a double on the program.

Here’s a recap of the action:

Sunshine Stake Final—Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies ($7,000)

Prairie Puma (Royal Millennium), took advantage of drawing the inside post and overwhelmed her two foes to score a 25 length win in 2:04 for Dein Spriggs, who co-owns with trainer Tony Dinges.

Clocking evenly rated panels of :31, 1:02.2 and 1:34, the “Puma” effortlessly sprinted home in :30 while widening her advantage in the lane with every stride.

Gator Tie, driven by George Birkhold, Jr., fimished second while Prairie Love, teamed with Tony Dinges, was third.

The victory proved to be a clean sweep of the three race Sunshine State Stake series and proved to be a sweep for driver Spriggs, as well.

Sunshine Stake Final—Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies ($7,000)

Yet another of harness racing’s top drivers in terms of wins, Kevin Wallis, was in action for a drive on Saturday and gave Thomas Casey’s Nola Christian (Storman Normand) a perfectly rated mile off fractions  of :31.4, 1:04 and 1:35.2 and left no doubt with a 10 length win in 2:06.4—a lifetime best.

Taking command as the wings folded, Nola Christian had daylight enter route before stretching the margin once they turned for home.

Gatorland Nolette, driven by Mickey McNichol, was second while Sunshine Jet finished third after a miscue prior to the start.

Wallis now has 10,602 lifetime wins.

Sunshine Stake Final—Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts and Geldings ($7,000)

Prairie Hustle (Don’t Let’em) who broke his maiden for driver Nick Coblentz last week, sat relaxed in a loose pocket much of the journey for Coblemtz and used a powerful sprint home to score a 10 length win in a lifetime best 2:07.1.

Delray Jet, handled by Wally Henneessey in his return south from New York, was second while Jays Gator Boy finished third after sawing through panels of :33, 1:05 and 1:36.2.

Coblemtz trains the colt for Waybe Mast, Jr. and earned his second success of the year after arriving at Sunshine Meadows for the FSBOA stakes season a maiden in nine starts prior.

Sunshine Stake-Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings ($7,000)

Gold Star Lucky (Luck Be Withyou) kept his Sunshine State Stakes perfect record in tact with a very sharp “Secretariat” like 30 length win for Rob Hoffman, in the sulky for trainer Nick Coblentz and owners Marianne and Maggie Audley.

The youngster, away with alacrity from the inside post, took the field to the opener in :28.4 but had to relent as his two rivals both were on the move—Gator Rocks, driven by George Birkhold, taking charge and Dating A Virgin, with Nick Coblemtz handling the lines, taking up the chase by the half in :59.3.

Hoffman then sent Gold Star Lucky into another gear and roared back to the front, stretching the lead past the third station in 1:29.4 before romping home in 1:58.4.

It was the third straight win for Gold Star Lucky at Sunshine Meadows—all three under 2:00 with his best last week in 1:59.

Sunshine Stake—Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies. ($7,000)

Prairie Kitten (Royal Millennium) finally got to the winner’s circle this year after 18 tries as Wally Hennessey gave the filly a picture perfect drive to score by 1 1/2 lengths in 2:02.1, using a :28.2 sprint the wire to hold off now arch-rival Dance With Destiny, driven by Joe Sanzeri, in 2:02.1.

Dance With Destiny had drawn the inside post in her two wins but, this time around, Prairie Kitten drew the inside post, proving the difference as to “who chased who!”

In a post race interview, Hennessey related, “when I was looking at the (past performance) lines, I thought we had a chance to turn the tables but, really, these two fillies are pretty well matched. She raced really great today!”

Prairie Kitten is trained by Laurie Poulin, who co-owns with Fred Morosine and Patricia Fritz.

The win vaulted the filly’s lifetime bounty over the $45,000 plateau—$46,543 to be precise.

Sunshine Stake—Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies ($7,000)

Ballerina Jet (Ogina Jet), who lost composure last week to lose all chance, was perfectly mannered this day for Wally Hennessey and scored a 15 length victory over rival P’s Just Peachy, using a :30 final quarter to hit the wire in 2:04.

Trained by Nick Coblentz for owner Amante Standardbreds, Ballerina Jet carded fractions of :30.4, 1:02 and 1:34 along the way to secure her eighth lifetime win in 19 starts—all of which have been at Sunshine Meadows over the two season racing career.

P’s Just Peachy, last week’s winner, was second for Marshall Makin.

After the event, Hennessey had praise for the filly saying, “Coming in to the race, I had driven her a few times and knew she had good speed. When she was confronted halfway through, I just chirped once and she repelled the threat immediately. She went a nice mile…a mile that I knew she was capable of doing!”

Ballerina Key now sports career earnings of $47,252.

Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts and Geldings ($7,000)

Legacy’s Casanova (Jailhouse Jesse) out-gunned rival Okeechobee Key and held on gamely late to score a half-length win over Okeechobee Jet and Wally Hennessey in a lifetime best 2:01.1 performance.

With Tony Dinges in the bike for trainer-owner Nick Coblentz, Legacy’s Casanova got superb rating—:31, 1:02.1 and 1:33—before a sharp :28.1 finale (the fastest final quarter of the entire day) sealed t5he deal

After the race, Dinges said, “You know, she likes to be in the thick of things from the get-go and, last week, she raced great but she was used during a fasts thread quarter and just couldn’t quite hold on. I thought if I could have her relax a little with a softer tone, she might just have enough.”

It was a maiden win for Legacy’s Casanova—her only other success in a qualifier in 2:03 over the Sunshine Meadows oval.

Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings ($7,000)

Prairie Achiever (Royal Millennium), benefitting from the inside post, won the war to the opening turn and repelled a bid in the lane to score a 1 1/2 length win for Wally Hennessey over arch-rival; Gator Pledthefifth, handled by George Birkhold, Jr., in 1:58.4.

Having split the prior two races in these Sunshine State Stakes, Prairie Achiever used a :28.4 opener to secure the top spot and used a :29 third panel as these two looked each other In the eye before Prairie Achiever edged clear in the final yards.

Though showing competitive lines in speedy times—some in “1:55 and a piece”—while racing at Tioga Downs, Prairie Achiever lowered his mark by 8 1/5 seconds with the win.

He’s banked $28,167 lifetime for trainer Laurie Poulin, who co-owns with Fred Morosini and Patricia Fritz.

Racing continues at Sunshine Meadows on Saturday, November 23 with post time set for 11:00 a.m.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by John Berry, for the FSBOA