Outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko turned 25 on Thursday and she celebrated the occasion in style with a perfect display in the sulky to land Penny Black (Dear Lou) a stylish harness racing winner in the $50,000 Group 3 Schrader Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday evening
Penny Black, the $3.50 second ahead after the tricky draw on the inside of the back line, was cleared off the pins immediately after the start and found herself in fourth place after an $8.50 chance at Sweet Darling in the wind.
Pole marker Sweet Vivienne ($6.50) led the first 230 meters before Heavenly Gipsy ($5.50) charged to the front, and soon after Sweet Vivienne broke into a gallop. Suvaljko seized the initiative and sent Penny Black to the front, with a lead of 35.8 seconds.
Penny Black quickly relaxed with an opening quarter of 31.9 seconds. and 29.9 sec. before sprinting over the final 400 meters in 27.2 seconds. and 27.7 sec. and won by 4m from Heavenly Gipsy, with a score of 1.55.3 over 2130m.
PENNY BLACK REPEAT
This was Penny Black’s third appearance after a three-month absence, and she will certainly prove tough to beat in the $100,000 Norms Daughter Classic on November 7 and the $150,000 Mares Classic two weeks after that.
Penny Black resumed after a spell with an excellent third place behind Mister Smartee and Captain Ravishing after racing into the wind before winning on her next two outings.
“Sitting out first, Mr. Smartee, really made Penny Black stronger, and she’s come back with a bit of versatility,” Suvaljko said. “She can get into that slow quarter of an hour early and sprint home much better. In her last two wins she has run home in a pair of twenty-seven. She is a big black beast.”
Prepared by leading trainer Michael Young, Penny Black has earned $292,611 from 15 wins and ten placings from 33 starts.
Suvaljko and Young completed a double when the promising four-year-old mare Majestic Ga Ga, the $2.40 favorite, proved too good for her rivals as she set the pace and defeated Luvaflair ($4.60) in the $21,000 Retravision Lowest Price Guaranteed Trot over 2130 meters.
Majestic Ga Ga raced 29 times in Victoria for six wins and eight placings, and she has now earned an additional $72,763 from her seven wins and four placings from 16 WA starts.
“She’s not just a frontrunner; she’s pretty versatile,” Young said. “She’s a bit fussy and has her quirks, but she’s also prone to over-racing at different stages.”
For full race results, click here.
Through Ken Casellasfor Gloucester Park
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