Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
“Her work at Byford this morning (Tuesday) was awesome when she worked with Heavenly Gipsy, but I know that I will face some problems when I drive Penny Black at Gloucester Park on Friday night,” said outstanding young driver Emily Suvaljko.
Penny Black, an impressive winner over Aardiebytheseaside and Wonderful To Fly last Friday week, is awkwardly drawn on the inside of the back line in the $50,000 Schrader Pace over 2130m on Friday night.
Suvaljko would dearly love to overcome this distinct disadvantage and win the group 3 feature event to provide her with a welcome birthday present. She turns 25 on Thursday.
Suvaljko’s main problems are how to handle Penny Black — whether to drive the mare for luck by remaining on the pegs and enjoying a soft trip behind the pole horse and expected pacemaker Sweet Vivienne or deciding to ease off the inside at the earliest possibility and charge forward to apply pressure to the frontrunners.
Two Friday nights ago Penny Black began from barrier seven when Suvaljko sent her forward in the first lap to race in the breeze outside her frontrunning stablemate Heavenly Gipsy before forging to the front with 120m to travel and win by more than a length from Aardiebytheseaside, who ran home strongly, out wide, from sixth at the bell. The final quarters were run in 27.9sec. and 27.7sec.
“I will discuss tactics with Michael (trainer Michael Young),” said Suvaljko. “Penny Black is very versatile, and at her last start she showed she is very tough and has the ability run home fast after a slow early pace.”
Apart from Penny Black, Heavenly Gipsy, Wonderful To Fly and Little Darling, Aardiebytheseaside will have a legion of admirers, who will be relying on the big mare’s toughness and ability to sprint home powerfully.
Suvaljko is also hoping to end the ten-event program on a winning note with the smart four-year-old mare Majestic Ga Ga in the $21,000 Retravision, Lowest Price Guarantee Trot, a mobile over 2130m in which she will begin from out wide at barrier No. 7.
“We have drawn inside Aldebaran Boyd (who will start from the outside in the field of eight), and hopefully that’s the difference,” said Suvaljko.
Aldebaran Boyd, trained and driven by Chris Voak, began from the 10m mark when he dashed to an early lead and went on to win a 2631m stand at Pinjarra last Monday week, beating Majestic Ga Ga (who started from the 20m mark) by a half-length
“Majestic Ga Ga’s run was huge,” said Suvaljko. “She galloped from the stand and lost a heap of ground before finishing second. She actually hit the front on the top of the straight and just peaked a little bit.”