Shes All In, driven by owner/trainer Rick Plano, pulled off a mild (7-1) upset in the $12,000 Open Trot for mares on Sunday night at Pompano Park.
The six-year-old daughter of Revenue S enjoyed a picture perfect garden journey before tipping out at the head of the lane, wearing down leader Blushing Hanover (Mickey Mc Nichol) and then holding off the late-surging Jailhouse Jessica (Bruce Ranger) to score by a length and a half. Mc Tinys Hope (Ben Mc Neil) rallied for third while Blushing Hanover finished fourth, just a nose ahead of Trot Fudge Sundae in the septet.
At the outset, the 34-1 outside Blushing Hanover was away alertly along with Shes All In, the latter ducking in right behind the leader and continuing that way through panels of :27.4, :58.3 and 1:26.3. Saint Pattys Doll was third at that station with Trot Fudge Sundae next but stalled a bit through that picked up third quarter, Sweet As Music double-bubbled, Mc Tinys Hope next with nowhere to go, and Jailhouse Jessica looking for some room to roam. Turning for home, Shes All In left the coziness of the pocket, surged on by and held safe late.
After the event, Plano said, "She had started to give hints the last couple of starts and, tonight, everything jelled for her. Bruce's mare [Jailhouse Jessica] must've had some road trouble because I expected her to be there...and she was, just a little late! My mare was good tonight but luck was on our side, too, that's for sure."
Shes All In won for the second time this season -- 22nd lifetime -- to send her seasonal bounty to $17,735 and lifetime earnings to $177,519.
As fifth choice in the wagering, Shes All In paid $16.80 to win.
In the $10,000 "Pop-Up" Final, Ed Hensley's Speed Hanover turned the tables on last week's winner, Dream Lake (Matt Romano), and wired the latter along with six others with a lifetime-best 1:55 performance -- his margin one and three-quarter lengths at the wire. Oaklea Sydney was third, 11 lengths away, with BSMaximummoondream fourth and Famous Legs overcoming the outside eight post in picking up the "nickel."
At the outset, both Dream Lake and Speed Hanover left with alacrity to vie for early supremacy with Speed Hanover gaining the top around turn one and travelling to an opening panel in :27.3. Once on top, Hensley's charge lolly-gagged over to the half in :57.4 and, deterring any backside threats, picked up the pace with a :28.4 third panel keeping Dream Lake still in the garden spot with no other challengers within three lengths. In the lane, Speed Hanover, on his own, picked up the pace a tick or two even faster, completing his mile in :28.2 for the handy score.
In a post race interview, Hensley said, "I just got him [by claim] about a month ago and I figured he was a solid trotter that could always go in [1]:56 and a piece. This mile pleasantly surprised me...as I didn't think he was going at a [1]:55 rate -- he was doing it so easily."
For this eight-year-old son of Cantab Hall, it was his initial victory of the year in nine starts, sending his seasonal earnings to $10,829. He's banked $218,934 lifetime with his prior mark being 1:56.4 over the Saratoga half-miler two seasons back.
As the even-money toteboard favourite, Speed Hanover paid $4.00 to win.
In Pompano Park's Super Hi-5, the 10-7-8-1-3 combo produced eight winning 20 cent tickets sending the carryover to Monday's Hi-5 finale close to $44,000. Post time for the Monday extravaganza is 7:30 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)