Pure Barre Keeps The Ball Rolling
Pompano Park presented a pair of Open events for mares on Monday night with Pure Barre extending her winning skein to three for Mickey McNichol in the trot and Pertty Music returning to her winning ways for Ed Hensley in the pace.
Pure Barre, Tom Gonsalves' outstanding seven-year-old daughter of Classic Photo, overcame the outside seven post and a pair of stout challenges during the mile to score what turned out to be a handy victory in 1:54.4, pinning a 3-1/2 length defeat on Saint Pattys Doll. Black Swan finished third.
As the gate opened, McNichol sent Pure Barre winging and out-rushed Saint Pattys Doll to the opening marker timed in :27. Unlike last week, when Pure Barre saw only one minimal threat develop around the final bend, much earlier threats developed this time around as Trot Fudge Sundae rushed up alongside the leader halfway through the mile clocked in :56.4. As Trot Fudge Sundae's bid disappeared on the backside, M T Ur Pockets went on a double-bubble binge to reach the saddle pad of Pure Barre at the third station, clocked in 1:25.2.
In the lane, Pure Barre put away that challenge and easily pulled away from Saint Pattys Doll for the handy win, one tick faster than last week's triumph.
The victory kept Pure Barre's record perfect this year--two-for-two--and sent her lifetime bounty to $226,645 on the strength of her 22nd lifetime win. She paid $3.20.
Pertty Music got a picture perfect journey from owner-trainer Ed Hensley to score a resounding victory measuring just over five lengths in 1:52--this after sitting cozily in the pocket and letting Mcflirty and Ricky Macomber, Jr. cut all the fractions--:27, 55.4 and 1:24.
The late charging De Vins Girl, driven by Rick Plano, rallied from far back to finish second while Mcflirty held on for third.
Just A Bee, coming in to the action on a four-race winning streak, could not overcome the handicap of the outside nine post and finished off the board this night.
"She has been racing good over the past month but this is a very talented group of mares in the open here and it is very tough to win week after week,” said Ed Hensley. Tonight, we had the luck of the draw on our side so, when the gate opened, my mare just kind of followed it out and we were lucky to get a garden trip when Ricky's (Macomber) mare (Mcflirty) took the top spot. When I asked her turning for home, she just exploded with pace. She was very sharp tonight."
Pertty Music, a five-year-old daughter of Jeremes Jet, now has 15 lifetime wins in 65 career starts, good for $221,522. She paid $4.20 to win.
Finally, with the 3-5 favourite Senorita Santanna scoring a resounding 1:52.1 victory in the night's finale, there were several winning consolation tickets worth $174.18 for a $.20 cent investment in the Super Hi-5 event meaning the carryover to the Tuesday night program for that event is close to $60,000, again, a track record.
Post time for the Tuesday night card is 7:30 p.m.
(Pompano Park)