An Island-bred trotter continued to dominate Florida’s top trot class on Wednesday.
Waiting On A Woman delivered as the favourite in the $10,500 Open trot at Pompano Park in Pompano Beach, Fla., with Charlottetown native Wally Hennessey at the lines.
Leaving from Post 3, the son of Northern Bailey-Southwind Faith cruised to the open quarter of 29 seconds flat before a posting 57.3 half-mile. He fought off Ill Tell You What through a 1:26.1 three-quarter marker, then unleashed a 28.4 final quarter to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:55. The five-year-old trotter was bred and owned by Mitch and David Tierney while on P.E.I., smashing records across the Maritimes as a two- and three-year-old with driver Corey MacPherson.
Waiting On A Woman would be undefeated in his five 2013 starts if it wasn’t for a broken hopple the start before, which forced Hennessey to pull him up during the race. He now boasts $94,120 in lifetime earnings, with his win total sitting at 25 after Wednesday, and $18,000 in seasonal earnings for owner New Jenneration Ltd. of North Palm Beach, Fla., and trainer Travis Kolaczynski.
Mitch Tierney currently is training a two-year-old full brother to the trotting star, named Waiting On No One, at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
In other Pompano Park action, Island-bred Woodmere Ultimate smoked over the five-eighths oval in 1:50.4 on Saturday night with Bruce Ranger in the bike. The five-year-old son of Western Success-Blue Violet was bred by the late Wally Wood and campaigned on the East Coast by Gilles Barrieau and Wayne Bell.
Also on Saturday night, Windfall Blue Chip made it two in a row at Woodbine Raceway in Rexdale, Ont., for owners Jamie MacKinley of Clyde River, former Islander Jody Sanderson and Scott Flewellen of Doha, Qatar. The six-year-old Art Major stallion was a winner in 1:52.3 in a $20,000 class with Keith Oliver in the bike for trainer Anthony Montini. Plans call for the former $455,400 Woodrow Wilson stake winner to make his way to P.E.I. this spring for stud duty, possibly along with stablemate Chasin Racin.
Windfall Blue Chip is entered to race Saturday night at Woodbine, drawing Post 3 with Oliver in the bike in a $24,000 class with Gold Cup and Saucer runner-up Mystician leaving from Post 7.
Horses campaigned by Earl Watts this past season are making appearances across the continent. Windemere Nancy and Howmacs Rocket, both owned by Painting The Town stable of Quispamsis, N.B., qualified twice this week at Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ottawa, Ont., for trainer Jamie Copley.
So Classy has found a new address, as he is now owned by Kenneth and Don Beatson of Ontario, and made his first start Wednesday at Western Fair Raceway in London with Scott Young in the bike, finishing sixth.
Island sire Carnivore, owned by Windemere Farms of North Wiltshire, finished fourth in 1:59 Wednesday at Monticello Raceway in New York, for driver Tyler Buter and trainer Amber Buter. The seven-year-old son of Real Desire bred a number of mares on P.E.I. in 2012.
Who’s hot
The stable of trainer Patrick Shepherd has been firing on all cylinders in 2013.
The Stratford native has eight wins from 22 starts, $42,807 in earnings and a .510 training average. His latest win came Wednesday afternoon, as Tobins Got It was a winner in a $7,500 conditioned claimer with J.R. Plante in the bike in 2:01.4. The Coastocoast Yankee stallion is owned by Jonah Moase of Cornwall. Shepherd has raced eight different horses so far this year, only missing four cheques.
Nicholas Oakes’ column appears in
The Guardian each Friday. He can be reached at nicholasoakes@hotmail.com.
