by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Lucy’s Pearl, fresh off a seasonal best 1:51.4 win in conditioned company one week ago and stepping up to the top class this night, scored a handy win in Pompano Park’s $10,000 Open Handicap Pace for mares in 1:52.1 on Monday (April 20).

Confidently handled by Wally Hennessey, the 4-year-old daughter of Well Said, owned by Elizabeth Novak along with trainer Ron Gurfein, darted first out of the gate and then yielded — briefly — at the opening station in :27.3.

Skip Smith photo

Lucy’s Pearl, with Wally Hennessey driving, captured Pompano Park’s Open Pace for mares on Monday night in 1:52.1.

She then retook command just a few long strides later and controlled the proceedings the rest of the journey, clocking fractions of :56.2 and 1:24.2 before a :27.4 sprint home sealed the deal in 1:52.1 over a track dulled by heavy rains prior to post time. All Charged Up, driven by Kevin Wallis, finished second, 1-1/4 lengths back, while Limelight and Dave Ingraham teamed up to be third. The early pacesetter, Senorita Santanna, did finish fourth with Mach Me Not rallying from last turning for home to pick up the final award in the field of seven.

In a post race interview, driver Hennessey related, “This is the first time I have driven this mare and she raced giant from off the pace for Steve (Condren) last week. Ronnie (trainer Gurfein) said, ‘don’t be afraid to put her on the lead…she’s won half her races that way.’ So, I thought, ‘let me leave a little with her.’

“When Joe’s (Pavia) mare (Senorita Santanna) went by, I thought it would be a good idea to re-take and try to control the pace. She went a big mile on this track, which may have been a tick or two off because of the weather.”

For Lucy’s Pearl, it was her second win in only four starts this year — 13th win lifetime — and sent the classy mare’s career earnings to $191,986. Her step up in class didn’t seem to bother the wagering public, who sent her off as the 7-5 choice, providing a $4.80 mutuel.

One race later, Fashion Ruffles, driven by Dave Ingraham, pulled off an 18-1 upset in the co-featured pace for mares, scoring in a lifetime best 1:52.3. Pacific Date, with Aaron Byron aboard, was second, a half-length away, with Cheap N Easy and Joe Pavia Jr. teaming up for show honors. Sinspirational and Artful Impulse annexed the final two awards in the field of nine.

Fashion Ruffles, a 7-year-old daughter of Village Jolt, owned by Patricia Connor along with trainer Kelly Case, was biding her time early as there were several lead changes during hot panels of :26.3, :54.1 and 1:22.4 with Fiesta Camcun, Sinspirational, Artful Impulse and, finally, Pacific Date mixing it up big time.

Turning for home, Pacific Date, on a three wide binge, stuck her head in front with Sinspirational between horses and Artful Impulse still battling on the inside. But Fashion Ruffles, on a double-bubble surge of her own around the final bend, had the most at the end, scoring the narrow victory — her second of the year in six starts.

Her winning time was two full seconds better than her previous mark and sent her lifetime earnings over the century mark — $103,177 to be exact. She rewarded her followers with a $38.20 mutuel and her win was the key component in the Pick-5 payout of $2,446.25 for a 50 cent investment.

In Monday night’s trotting feature, Renaldo Morales III piloted Ted Berry’s Teezer Bree to his first win of the year in 1:56.4, significant inasmuch as the track’s Pick-4 was unscathed, setting up a $25,000 guarantee for Wednesday night’s Pick-4.

Finally, in Pompano Park’s Super Hi-5, the winning 20 cent combination of 5-1-7-3-4 produced two winning tickets, each paying $2,684.38, pushing the carryover into the mid-week program into record territory — vaulting over $150,000. Post time is 7:30 p.m.