Galarina, who was patiently driven by Andy Santeramo, took top honours in Pompano Park's $13,200 open pacing feature for mares on Monday night (April 2), as she slipped through along the pylons late to score in 1:53.
Galarina, a seven-year-old daughter of Dali, pinned a half-length defeat on the pacesetting Freakonomica (who was handled by Jim Meittinis). Roll With Faith (Dave Ingraham) finished third. Strings finished fourth and Bring Me Diamonds was fifth.
As the wings folded, Freakonomics, who left from the outside, was on the engine along with Galarina (who started from Post 5). The former took charge into the initial turn and the latter settled into the garden spot.
Through an opener of :27.1, Meittinis was in the process of rating his charge when Dave Ingraham sent Roll With Faith up to challenge halfway through in :57.
Freakonomics and Roll With Faith were in a war along the backside. Santeramo sat chilly along the inside with Galarina. The duo hoped for a seam once they completed three-quarters, which was clicked off in 1:25.1.
Once they straightened away, that seam – though small – opened up and Santeramo pinched on through with Galarina to hit the wire in 1:53.
In a post race interview, Santeramo related, "Galarina has such a great attitude. You know, mares can be a little, shall we say, unpredictable at times, but she's got such a great attitude. She doesn't get rattled at anything and, when she goes behind the starting gate, she's all business.
"I wasn't really sure that she could beat the calibre of mare that Freakonomics is, but she probably needed a start to tighten up, so I think we were fortunate in that respect. Both of our mares sure raced [well], though."
The victory earned Galarina her ninth win of the year – tied for most in North America with Regil Tiger – in 13 starts.
Since her claim for $8,000 last November 6, Galarina has won 13 times and banked $63,923 for the M T Pockets Stables.
As for Santeramo, he is the second leading percentage driver at Pompano Park – winning at a 24 per cent clip – and, as of this date, the leading UTR trainer in North America this year with a ‘batting average’ of .581.
In the ‘better for the bettor’ department, Pompano Park's Super Hi-5 was solved on Monday night, as one 20-cent ticket had the 6-2-10-5-3 combination, which was worth $17,338.12.
Live racing at Pompano will continues on Tuesday night with a ‘million dollar’ field assembled in an ‘Over-The-Hill Gang’ trot, as well as special five-eighths-mile dash featuring world record holder Sooo Handsome, who will be facing Foundonabeach, Thundercrest and William Star, among others, all winners at the distance.
Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)