by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Escuela, looking to extend her current winning streak of three in Pompano Park’s Open Handicap Trot, did just that on Monday night (Dec. 7) as the 5-year-old daughter of ABC Garland made it a grand slam with a 1:55 clocking on a cool evening in South Florida.

Skip Smith photo

Escuela won her fourth straight Open Handicap Trot at Pompano Park on Monday night, stopping the clock in 1:55.

With co-owner Ed Hensley in the bike for trainer and co-owner Ashleigh Hensley, Escuela used her now patented late knockout punch to pin a defeat measuring 1-3/4 lengths over the invader and 6-5 favorite Auspicious Hanover (Kevin Wallis) with the pacesetting Proud Moment (Wally Hennessey) third. I’ll Tell You What finished fourth and She’s All In held on for the final award after being prominent much of the way.

Beginning from the outside post in her octet, Escuela started well back in the field — 9-1/2 lengths away — with only one breaker beaten early on before edging to the outside and catching live cover after Proud Moment clipped off fractions of :27.4 and :56.1. On the backside, three-eighths out, the outer flow began to develop with I’ll Tell You What going uncovered and joining She’s All In about a length and a half back of the leader.

Meanwhile, Escuela had wended her way into fourth on the outside and was getting ready to throw that knockout punch once they straightened away after three-quarters in 1:25.1. Collaring the leaders in mid-stretch, Escuela burst to the fore and easily held off Auspicious Hanover to complete her aforementioned grand slam.

After the race, driver Hensley said, “I’ll make it easy for you this week. Just Xerox a copy of what you wrote last week. Honestly, she’s just feeling very good right now and she just has an amazing kick at the end of her miles. It was bit chillier tonight but we all had to deal with that, so it turned out to be no factor.”

In winning for the 12th time this year, Escuela pushed her 2015 bounty to $90,770 and $168,226 lifetime. As the 9-5 second choice, Escuela paid $5.60 to win.

Also on Monday night, late closer action began with two divisions of the Success Cameo for claiming fillies and mares and a pair of divisions of the Sea Eagle for pacing horses and geldings. Success Cameo first leg winners were Sweet Bet and Dakota Law while Scotty Mach N and Geared To Win won their respective divisions of the Sea Eagle.

Sweet Bet held on for dear life at the end of her mile to hold off the late charging Lily Rei and Last Romance by a neck in 1:55.3. Rock Groupie and Ruths Shadylady were next in the septet.

Driven by Matt Romano for owner-trainer Dale Gilmour, Sweet Bet posted hot fractions of :27.2, :55.3 and 1:24.4 before the chilly wind took hold during the :30.4 finale.

As driver Romano said, “A win is a win, no matter whether the final quarter is — :27 or :32!”

The 7-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight won for the fourth time this semester and 28th lifetime to send her career bounty over the $200,000 plateau — $202,173 to be exact. She paid $3.00 to win.

Dakota Law, handled by Ed Hensley for owner Denise Maier and trainer Tim Maier, garnered the lead after the :28.1 opener and went on to post panels of :57 and 1:26 before holding off Mayabelle (Mike Micallef) by a nose in 1:55.4. Pacific Date (Kevin Wallis) was third while Fair Voltage and Flashy picked up the minors.

Dakota Law, a 4-year-old daughter of Hot Pans, won for the sixth time this season — 12th win lifetime — to send her 2015 earnings to $14,826. Dakota Law rewarded her backers with a $4.60 mutuel as second choice in the wagering.

The Sea Eagle, named for the winner of the very first pari-mutuel race at Pompano Park in 1964, saw Scotty Mach N and Geared To Win come home victorious in their respective divisions.

Scotty Mach N used different tactics this night to score a handy win for Kevin Wallis — the margin 1-3/4 lengths over the late charging On The Green (Wally Hennessey) with My Buddy Mason (Dave Ingraham) third. Sturgeon Seelster was fourth with Mixed Media fifth in the field of seven.

Scotty Mach N, a 10-year-old gelded son of Mach Three trained by Gary McDonald for The Three Gees Stable, rocketed out of the gate from the advantageous five post and carded fractions of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:24.4 before reporting home in :30.1 to score his sixth win this year and 35th lifetime. His lifetime bounty now stands at $361,641 to go along with a lifetime mark of 1:49.4 two seasons ago. Scotty Mach N paid $6.00 to win.

Geared To Win, under the guidance of Andy Santeramo, pulled off a 13-1 upset in his Sea Eagle division, gliding first by the pacesetting Walking Tall (Mike Micallef) turning for home and then easily holding off the late surging Goldstar Raider (John MacDonald) to score by 1-1/2 lengths for owner-trainer Mario Dessureault in a season’s best 1:54. Goldstar Raider did finish second with Walking Tall next. Terrorizer finished fourth while Yuma Hanover, last turning for home, picked up the nickel.

Geared To Win, a 4-year-old altered son of Geartogear, won for the third time this year to send his 2015 earnings to $16,092.

Late Closer action continues on Tuesday night with the opening divisions of The Optimist for pacers and The Interloper for trotters. Also Precocious Beauty, the classy 4-year-old daughter of Art Major, with $828,374 in earnings, makes her Pompano Park debut in the $11,000 Open for mares. Post time is 7:30 for the 13-race program.