Saint Pattys Doll, driven by Bruce Ranger, took top honours Tuesday night at Pompano Park in the Open trotting event for mares.

The five-year-old daughter of Conway Hall stopped the timer in a lifetime best 1:55.1, pinning a defeat on the late-charging Trot Fudge Sundae. M T Ur Pockets took home show honours in the featured affair.

Trained by Jake "300" Huff for Stable 45, Saint Pattys Doll lefty alertly from post five but was looped by Blushing Hanover, starting from the outside post seven, in a battle for early supremacy. While Blushing won that early war, Saint Pattys Doll was out again and vying for the top spot as the opener was caught in :27.1. Once on top, Saint Pattys Doll was able to work out a second quarter breather, reaching the half in :56.4.

On the backside with things beginning to heat up, Saint Pattys Doll was able to step it up a notch herself, thwarting a bid by M T Ur Pockets as they reached the third station in 1:25.4 with Blushing Hanover still third and Trot Fudge Sundae second over with Shes All In now shuffled with no place to go in fifth. In the lane, Saint Pattys Doll edged away from M T Ur Pockets and only had to hold off the late surging Trot Fudge Sundae, which she did with a :29.3 finale.

"Jake (trainer Huff) said that this mare had been very sharp up north and had just been claimed up there,” said driver Bruce Ranger. “He said she seemed to be very handy and likes to be in the thick of it. She showed gate speed when I drove her in a qualifier here and chased a good one home in :28. There didn't seem to be too much early speed in here so I thought I'd give her a chance to prove herself right off the bat She did, too!. Obviously, Jake had done a great job with her in the short time he's had her."

The win was number nine on the year for Saint Pattys Doll, pushing her seasonal earnings to $$69,886--her best season ever thus far in her career. She's banked $125,910 lifetime. She paid $5.20 to win.

(Pompano Park)