by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — With mares in the Pompano Park spotlight Monday night (Feb. 9), Just A Bee and Little Bitty Lies took top honors in their respective events for the distaffers.

Mike Micallef guided Just A Bee to a 1:52.4 triumph in the Open Pace for mares on Monday night.

Just A Bee, competing in the $12,000 Open Pace for the mares, conquered five rivals and a racetrack deluged with rain just minutes before to score a 1:52.4 win for Mike Micallef — her margin a half-length over a very stubborn Senorita Santanna, driven by George Napolitano Jr. De Vins Girl was third for Jason Dillander while Always Dee One and Arodasi also picked up minor awards in the field of six.

Just A Bee, a 7-year-old daughter of Mr Feelgood, was away in good order from her outside post six to settle into the third spot around the opening turn behind Senorita Santanna and De Vins Girl. Just a couple of strides later, “Queen Bee” was out again and driving for the lead, which she assumed shortly after an opening panel of :27.1.

With no pressure down the opening straightaway, Just A Bee paced through a second quarter in :29.4, reaching the half in a “soft” :57. Once they straightened away on the backside, Just A Bee discouraged any impending threats with a :28 third quarter in the slop and then sealed the deal with a :27.4 closer, holding off a very game Senorita Santanna by a half-length.

In a post race interview, driver Mike Micallef said, “Once I got a taste of that mud in my mouth, I decided to try and make the top spot to minimize any additional ‘mud pudding’ thrown my way. Actually, we got a nice breather during the second quarter and when we reached the half cheap (:57) I thought she could carry it all the way home. George’s mare (Senorita Santanna) went a big mile — she’s tough as nails — but my mare is tough as well…and actually had a bit easier of a trip than last week, when she had to go first up on the backside and finished second.”

Owned by Anita Micallef, along with John Mc Goff and Greg Heath, Just A Bee now has a 3-1-0 scorecard in five starts this young season, good for $22,500. She’s earned $172,166 lifetime. As the 3-5 favorite, Just A Bee returned $3.40 to win.

Little Bitty Lies, a 5-year-old daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe, used a bold rush on the backside to take command prior to the final turn and romped home an easy winner — two lengths — for Lewayne Miller in 1:56.4 over the track still labeled sloppy in the $13,000 companion Open Trot for mares.

Skip Smith photos

Little Bitty Lies, driven by Lewayne Miller, took top honors in Pompano Park’s top trot for mares on Monday night, stopping the timer in 1:56.4.

Trot Fudge Sundae, handled by Dave Ingraham, used a backside brush of her own to get second while Blushing Hanover, prominent early but backed up after getting briefly stuck in traffic, rallied for Mickey McNichol to finish third. Barbies Korvett and Black Swan also earned checks in the septet.

Third early on through opening panels of :28.1 and :57.4, Little Bitty Lies blitzed her opposition with a strong backside brush to assume command — comfortably — past the third station in 1:26.4. From there, the issue was never in doubt.

Owned by the consortium of the Erv Miller Stable, Ron Michelon and Paymaq Racing, Little Bitty Lies won for the initial time in 2015 in just two starts this season — ninth win lifetime — to send her career bankroll to $158,788.

Finally, though the even money favorite in the Super Hi-5 was disqualified and placed out of the top five, the event still had multiple winners with the carryover going over to Tuesday night’s card exceeding $120,000. Post time is 7:30 p.m.