Crisp Mane, whose late surge last week fell a neck short, rallied in the final stages of the feature $11,000 event for mares on Tuesday (Feb. 2) at Pompano Park and took top honours, ironically, by a neck, for David Miller in 1:52.3.
The talented five-year-old daughter of Sportswriter turned the tables on Tempus Seelster (Joe Chindano Jr.) this time around with Roll With Angel (Ken Holliday) third, 3-1/4 lengths away.
As the outset, Prairie Westerngal (Wally Hennessey) zipped off the wings from post six into an open lead early as Tempus Seelster also left with alacrity and forged her way to the front at the hot opener of :26.3. Crisp Mane, who was third through a half in a rated :56.3, went first-up on the backside to engage during a :27.2 third panel, reaching the saddle pad of the leader past the third station in 1:24.
Turning for home, Tempus Seelster appeared to put Crisp Mane away by sprinting away to a 1-1/2 length lead at mid-stretch, but Crisp Man kept gnawing away in the final stages to get up on the line.
Miller, reflecting on Crisp Mane’s performance, said, “It was a bit chilly for all of us out there, and she was going some in that third quarter. We seemed to lose a bit of momentum on the turn but, once she straightened, she got rolling again and got there. She’s tough and consistent!”
Crisp Mane, trained by Devan Miller for owner Sylvia Burke, now has 13 career wins and $213,625 on her card. She paid $3.20 to win.
The $10,000 Open II for the mares went to Ask Me Ifi Care, confidently and perfectly handled by trainer-driver Mike Micallef.
Ask Me Ifi Care scored handily by two lengths over Take Abit Of Life (Mike Simons) with Rockin Serena (Peter Wrenn) next.
Ask Me Ifi Care, a six-year-old daughter of Manhardt, dipping down a notch from the top class, changed strategy this time around as Micallef let Rockin Serena take charge early through an opening quarter in :28 with Micallef on the prowl and taking charge shortly thereafter. Ask Me Ifi Care rated the half in a leisurely :58 and then repelled the looming threat of Take Abit Of Life with a :27.2 third panel before a :28.4 finale sealed the deal.
Ask Me Ifi Care, whom Micallef co-owns with Geoff Howles, won for the 23rd time in her 95 career starts with her lifetime earnings vaulting to $265,220 with the win. She paid $11.20.
David Miller had a natural hat trick on the Tuesday program, winning the first three races while Wally Hennessey had a driving double.
Also, 18-year-old Brett Beckwith, who got his first pari-mutuel win one week ago with Amarettigone, repeated that winning performance in a conditioned event for mares in what looked like a replay from last week as the seven-year-old daughter of Real Desire used a :28.4 blitz home to score in 1:54.4. Amarettigone, trained by Melissa Beckwith for owner Olivia Derue, paid $19.40 to win.
Handle for the 10-race program once again eclipsed $1 million, with the final total $1,052,717.
Racing continues on Wednesday (Feb. 3) with a guaranteed pool in the Pick-4, a carryover in the Pick-6 and a Super Hi-5 finale with the jackpot now at $54,764.89.
Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(Pompano Park)