World record set by Esmeralda Semalu

Esmeralda Semalu became the world’s fastest older pacing mare on a five-eighths mile track Tuesday at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, winning the third race $16,000 Open in 1:49.4. It was the first time ever that an older mare has broken the sub 1:50 mark for a one mile race.

 The five-year-old daughter of Electric Stena, trained and driven to victory by Joe Pavia, Jr. led from start to finish winning in a romp by seven open lengths. The BJR Stable of Boca Raton and the AGC Stable of Highland Beach own Esmeralda Semalu, who paid $2.40 to win as the 1/5 favorite. The pocket-sitting  U All BB (Bruce Ranger), who also set a world record last year, was second with Chapsboots N Spurs (Wally Hennessey) finished third.

 Esmeralda Semalu cut fractions of :27.1; :55.3 and 1:22.4 before kicking in a :54.1 last half mile and :27 last quarter mile to set the record. It was her fifth win in eight starts this year.

 “She was just so smooth tonight.” Pavia said. “After she finished third last week I changed some of the rigging in her mouth and did not tie her tongue and that helped her breathe better and what a difference it did for her performance.”

 It was just three weeks ago that Esmeralda Semalu became the fastest mare in Isle Pompano Park history with a 1:51.1 victory. Now she is tied as the second fastest racehorse in the 45-year history at the track with her 1:49.4 lifetime mark. Only Load The Dice’s 1:48.3 record in 2007 is faster. According to the United States Trotting Association, the prior world mark for older mares was 1:50 and was co-held by Poppy Lustre in 2007 and Sherry in 2008. (Pompano)

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