by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Bombilla Hanover extended her winning skein to four on Sunday night (March 10) with a hard fought victory in 1:51.4 in the $10,000 featured event for mares at Pompano Park.

The 5-year-old Bombilla Hanover (pronounced “Bom-beel-ya”), handled exquisitely by Bruce Ranger, elected to let the three horses inside — Gold Star Gidget, Abbey Road Hanover and Fiesta Camcun — battle for the early lead.

Skip Smith photo

Bombilla Hanover extended her winning streak to four on Sunday night at Pompano Park.

When that war was over with after an opener in :26.4, Bombilla Hanover was on the move and assumed the lead prior to turn two and produced subsequent panels of :54.3 and 1:23.1 before holding off a determined bid by the fast closing Arodasi (Joe Pavia, Jr.) to win by a half-length. Abbey Road Hanover (Kevin Wallis) was third followed by Gold Star Gidget (Matt Romano) and Fiesta Camcun (Stephane Lareau).

In a post-race interview, Ranger had nothing but praise for the horse — and the trainer.

“Peter Blood has done an incredible job with this mare,” said Ranger. “Her gait is smooth as silk now and, where she used to be headstrong and not very good gaited, she now relaxes off the gate and then brushes forward after things settle down.

“She was very sharp again tonight. I really wasn’t planning to go a half in :54 and a piece but she does this all on her own and I never want to shut them down when they feel as good as she did.”

For this daughter of The Panderosa, it was her 16th lifetime success in 59 starts, pushing her career bounty to $138,128 — $15,750 of that this year — all in the past 20 days.

Trainer Blood is part owner of Bombilla Hanover along with Rick Berks and Lewis Whitaker.

The $7,500 Open 2 Pace for the mares was won by Windows On Line, who blasted out of the gate, yielded — briefly — to Kayla’s Dream at the :27.1 opening panel and then re-took to card fractions of :55 and 1:23.2 before stretching her lead throughout the lane to win by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:52.1 for Rick Plano.

Kayla’s Dream (Matt Romano) was second with 40-1 outsider Wild West Angel (Greg Luther) third. Looney Dune finished fourth in the mile while Mightymachthree — 1-5 on the tote — failed to fire and finished fifth.

Windows On Line now has a lifetime bankroll of $163,537 for owner John Darrah.