Hennessey wins NYSS on his Hall of Fame day

Wally Hennessey was back at Historic Track on Sunday and back to winning in the New York Sire Stakes. Hennessey, one of the winningest drivers in the history of the Sire Stakes, was inducted after the races into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. But during the day, however, the Prince Edward Island native picked up several catch drives and a victory on the 17-race card that featured New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colts and fillies.

Hennessey, who moved to Florida several years ago and has not driven regularly on the New York circuit since then, was at Historic Track last year when Moni Maker, the richest mare of all-time who Hennessey drove, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

"When I came back last year, it was good to see everybody, it had been a while since I’d been here. I got to catch up with everyone, but I didn’t drive, I just visited the backstretch," recalled Hennessey between races. "This time, it’s only been a year, but it’s nice to be out there racing with the same guys I had for 15 or 18 years and driving horses for guys I’ve known for a very long time."

Hennessey, who couldn’t avoid almost constant congratulations on the backstretch, escaped long enough to score a Sire Stakes victory with Lapponia in 2:04. It was a maiden-breaking score for the Conway Hall filly. She is trained by Arild Eggen for owner Bjornar Hogseth.

"They didn’t shut me out of the Sire Stakes today," said Hennessey with a smile after the victory. "When I was racing here in New York, this and (the State Fair in) Syracuse were my two favorite places to race."

Hennessey also finished second in the Hall of Fame Invitational Trot against the exclusive club of horsemen he would join later in the evening.

Also on the card, trainer-driver Bill Bailey and trotting colt Jack’s Reef upset New Hampshire Boy by a nose in a three-horse photo at the wire. New Hampshire Boy, trained and driven by Goshen-based Ray Schnittker, had been on a two-race winning streak and had already stamped himself as the one to beat among his peers.

Jack’s Reef’s 2:01.2 score was the fastest colt division of the day.

"I think Jack’s Reef is one of the bettor colts, but this track helps even it up," explained Bailey of his charge. "He is a big horse, but he gets around a half-mile pretty well."

"This is my lucky track," said Paul Nower, who owns the horse with his wife, Pauline. "I’ve always gotten beat by the big horse, so now I have one."

Jack’s Reef measures 17 hands, an extremely tall harness horse. He is a son of Credit Winner who was the highest priced yearling at the Morrisville College yearling sale in 2005 at $55,000. The colt was selected by Gary Gibson, the Nower’s prior trainer who passed away last year.

"This is special because it’s for Gary," said Nower. "He as a great trainer and we hope he’s looking down."

Hurleyville resident Alan Schwartz directed his homebred Iroquoindianscout to a 2:04 maiden-breaking win in another colt division. The driver sat an energy-saving pocket trip then exploded in the lane to win by 4 3/4 lengths.

"He’s a well-bred horse," explained Schwartz, who also owns the son of Giant Hit. "We didn’t get him going as a 2-year-old and even up to a few months ago, he wasn’t making it. But he suddenly came around on his own and has started doing well.

"He was just a squeamish colt, he was scared of everything," explained Schwartz. "We tried everything on him to get him right, every single bridle known to man, with hobbles, without hobbles. He just turned around on his own. Now we have a blind bridle and hobbles on him. He has ability and he’s probably one of the better colts I’ve had."

Trainer-driver Howard Okusko Jr. scored back-to-back New York Sire Stakes victories for Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stable with Lady Conway in 2:02.1 and colt Cyber Hall in 2:03.3.

Hungadream scored the fastest filly division of the day in 2:00.4. She is owned and trained by Paul Doherty and was driven by Hall of Famer Jim Doherty. (HHBNY)

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