Mayabelle, driven by trainer Mike Micallef for the Baron Racing Stable, took top honours in the $10,100 final of the Success Cameo Late Closer for claiming pacing mares on Monday night at Pompano Park.

The four-year-old daughter of Mcardle, off as the 7-5 favourite, used the rail to gain a picture perfect journey and score by three-parts-of-a-length over the longest proposition in the field, Fair Voltage, handled by Dave Ingraham and off at 88-1. The pacesetting Sweet Bet, teamed up with Matt Romano, finished third, a length away, after posting fractions of :27, :55.4 and 1:25.1 along the route. Time for the mile was 1:54.4.

Indeed, it was Sweet Bet that darted out for early supremacy with Pacific Date showing early foot from the outside nine post and moving just outside of the leader through the early panels with Mayabelle neatly covered up in third.

As Pacific Date began to falter on the backside from the long route, Mayabelle moved into second and, at the top of the lane, tilted out, forged on by and safely held off Fair Voltage for the win, her fourth of the season in 24 starts.

After the event, driver Micallef said, “This mare was claimed from us two starts back and we claimed her right back last week because she’s a solid performer in this particular class.

“She likes to be in the thick of things and the rail was the perfect spot to do what she likes to do—be close. It turned out to be a very cozy journey.”

In earning her 10th lifetime victory, Mayabelle sent her lifetime bounty to $115,734 and enjoyed her biggest payday since her sire stakes win in Pennsylvania as a two year-old. She paid $4.80.

Also of note on the Monday card was the performance of the six-year-old pacer Danger Hi Joltage.

This altered son of Village Jolt, with many of his 29 lifetime wins on the engine, returned to that strategy on Monday night with Wally Hennessey in the bike to score a stunning win in 1:50.2 in a $10,000 claiming pace—a new lifetime mark.

Slicing through panels of :26.2, :54.1 and 1:22.2, Danger Hi Joltage never relented during a :28 finale to score by 3-½ lengths over the pocket-sitting Free Love (John MacDonald) with Artsbred Camotion (Kevin Wallis) next, almost nine lengths away.

After the race, driver Wally Hennessey said, “I knew that this one had success on the front end but, last week, we were stuck with the nine post—that was his first start here—and couldn’t use it.

“Since the five post is pretty popular here, I decided to try that strategy that has been so successful with this horse—on the front.

“I wasn’t surprised that he won on the front like that, but I was surprised at the new life mark. That’s pretty solid for a ‘10’ claimer.”

Trained by Rob Harmon for the Harmon Racing Stable, Danger Hi Voltage won for the sixth time this year—all on the engine or close up—to send his 2015 bankroll to $38,963 and $172,431 lifetime.

As the 6-5 favourite, Danger Hi Joltage paid $4.40 to win.

Racing continues on Tuesday night with Auspicious Hanover looking for a second straight victory in the $11,500 Open Handicap Trot while Wednesday night’s 14-race extravaganza features the Open Handicap for fillies and mares.

In that $11,500 event, Wild Wanda takes on a very talented field including Precocious Beauty, Classic Carpet, Safe From Terror, Jets Are On and Just A Bee, the latter making her return to the racing wars after a six week vacation.

Also on Wednesday, the finals of the Sea Eagle Late Closer and the Optimist Late Closer--both for claiming pacers—are on tap, as well.

The Sea Eagle features $6,000 claiming geldings going for $11,100 while the Optimist, featuring $4,000 claiming geldings, has a final purse of $10,100.

The track has carded an two pentafecta events along with two Pick-4 offerings on their wagering buffet with post time moved up to a special 7:00 p.m. start.

(Pompano Park)