Jailhouse Jessica, cleverly driven by Bruce Ranger, used a :28.4 breakout finale to sprint clear from her foes and score a handy victory measuring three and three-quarter lengths in Pompano Park's $12,000 Open Handicap Trot for mares on Sunday night (March 22).
Mc Tinys Hope and Ben Mc Neil, early trailers in the field of six, teamed up for place honours while As Yall Like It, with Sam Stathis aboard, finished third. Saint Pattys Doll finished fourth while the early leader, Blushing Hanover, picked up the final award.
Indeed, it was Blushing Hanover showing her usual alacrity out of the gate to take the lead at the outset with Saint Pattys Doll and As Yall Like It next, followed by Jailhouse Jessica, nestling into fourth early.
After a quarter in a sharp :27.3, Ranger left nothing to chance and brushed up strongly to take command around turn two and get to the half in :57.
At this juncture, driver Sam Stathis had As Yall Like It in high gear and, on the backside, put some serious pressure on Jailhouse Jessica into the final turn.
But Jailhouse Jessica responded and sprinted clear past the third station in 1:26 before that aforementioned :28.4 final panel sealed her escape from the rest of her foes.
After the race, Ranger said, "She's just such a handy mare...doesn't matter if she's on the lead or off the pace. When she gets going, she really gets going. She sprinted down the stretch the first time and kind of repeated that same kind of sprint down the stretch the second time down to the wire. That's her second mile under [1]:55. She's sharp right now."
The win was the fourth of the year for Jailhouse Jessica, a five-year-old daughter of Jailhouse Jessie, sending her seasonal bankroll to $27,813, all but $285 of that earned since trainer Dale Gilmour claimed her for the Karma Racing Stable in mid-January.
Off at a dime-to-a-dollar on the toteboard, Jailhouse Jessica paid $2.20 to win.
In other action, Acton Onelasttime, claimed for $4,000 by Kevin Wallis just a month ago, won for the third time in four starts since that claim -- this time in 1:51.4 -- and was promptly claimed for $15,000 by Shawn Glassmeyer.
Acton Onelasttime took a mark of 1:51.3 in his first start for Wallis, also in a "4" claimer, followed that with a resounding win in 1:52.2 in a "12,5" claimer and followed that with a sharp second-place finish in a "20" claimer, timed in 1:50.4.
Heavily backed in this event by the bettors, Acton Onelasttime paid $3.40 to win.
Red Hot Yankee was also claimed in the event as the record-breaking season for claims continues at the track.
Pompano Park's Super Hi-5 again went uncovered on Sunday night with the 1-6-7-ALL-ALL 20-cent ticket worth $850.38 and the carryover to Monday night's program now over $57,000. Post time is 7:30 p.m.
(Pompano Park)