Ontario-bred Angels Delight, given a brilliantly rated drive by Jason Dillander, took top honours in Pompano Park's $10,000 Open Handicap on Sunday night.
The four-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover, trained by Jim McDonald for owner Joe Pennacchio, pinned a wire-to-wire half-length defeat on De Vins Girl, driven by Rick Plano. The even-money toteboard favourite, Arodasi, finished third, a length and a quarter away. The winning time was 1:52.4. Fiesta Camcun and Fashion Ruffles rounded out the quintette.
Angels Delight showed her usual early speed from post four and Dillander had her on the lead a few steps out of the gate with De Vins Girl, leaving from the outside post, settling in the garden spot through an opener of :27.4.
It was right then, with all parties content in their places, that Dillander rated Angels Delight and lolly-gagged through a :29.3 second panel, reaching the half in :57.2 with a comfortable length and a half lead.
On the backside, Arodasi charged from fifth up to second during the official :28.2 quarter -- hers being :27.2 -- but Angels Delight sprinted home in :27, holding off the late-charging De Vins Girl with Arodasi next after pacing her final half-mile in :54.2.
In a post race interview, driver Dillander summed up the event with one single word, "Perfect!"
Trainer McDonald had high praise for both the mare and the pilot saying, "She's been very solid her last nine starts -- either first or second in all of them -- and I felt confident that if she could get a good rated trip she'd be tough. Jason did a magnificent job tonight. So, we'll split the kudos 50-50!"
Angels Delight now has a 3-4-0 scorecard in her seven starts this year and $25,000 in earnings. She's banked $91,180 lifetime.
As third choice in the betting, Angels Delight paid $7.40 to win.
Pompano Park's $20,000 Driver's Challenge continued on Sunday night with the first of three semi-finals and Bruce Ranger emerged victorious over Rick Plano on the strength of two wins, a second and a fifth in the four-race competition. The final tally was 28 to eight.
Ranger now moves to the March 15 finals and will face the winner of the Simon Allard-Kevin Wallis match-up on Monday and the winner of the Jason Dillander-Mickey McNichol pairing on March 10.
The Monday festivities include an additional perk with a second straight carryover in Pompano Park's popular Pick 5 wager.
Post time for tomorrow night's card is 7:05 p.m.
(With files from Pompano Park)