by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Mach Me Not and Mc Tiny’s Hope shared the spotlight at Pompano Park on Wednesday night (June 10), each reaching the winner’s circle in their respective co-featured events.

Mach Me Not, the rugged 9-year-old daughter of Mach Three, turned the tables on her stablemate Artful Impulse in the $9,000 Winner’s Over Pace for the mares, using a quarter move to the top after Artful Impulse zipped out of the gate from her outside post to take the field through an opener of :27.4.

With Bruce Ranger handling the lines for trainer Jim McDonald and the S S G Stables, Mach Me Not, once reaching the top spot, proceeded to clock panels of :57.3 and 1:25.3 before using a :28.3 finale to hold her stablemate, driven by Andy Santeramo, safe by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54.1. Real Nice Girl finished third for Joe Sanzeri while Keystone Christa finished fourth after a menacing backside brush brought her to the flank of Mach Me Not turning for home. Goldstar Rockette finished fifth in the quintet.

After the event, driver Bruce Ranger remarked, “Last week, this mare was full of pace the entire last lap, grinding forward from the back to finish third. In this shorter field, I thought it might be prudent to try and control things, just hoping that Andy (Santeramo) would yield to me so his mare would get the garden trip. It worked out well.”

Mach Me Not won for the sixth time in 21 starts, sending her 2015 bankroll to $40,024. She’s banked $336,046 lifetime on the strength of 33 career wins to go along with a mark of 1:51.1. As the very slight favorite at 4-5, Mach Me Not paid $3.60 to win.

Despite rain showers in the area, along with some lightning bolts and thunder claps, Mc Tiny’s Hope, the only mare in the Winner’s Over Trot, showed impeccable manners in extending her victory streak to three with a 1:55 performance for Ben Mc Neil.

This 7-year-old daughter of CR Excalibur, trained by Jack Mc Neil for Ellen Mc Neil, zipped to the lead from her outside five post and broke her first three light beams in :28.3, :57.2 and 1:25.3 before striding home an easy winner on the strength of a :29.2 finale while dodging raindrops all the way home. Dominum Deo finished second for Bruce Ranger while My Revenuer was next in the quintet. Gold Savage, close up the entire route, finished fourth while On The Tab picked up the nickel.

In a post race interview, the soft-spoken Ben Mc Neil said, “What can I say? She’s just very good right now and I certainly wasn’t going to fool around changing tactics since she’s won the other two in this streak the same way!”

In earning her sixth win of the year in 21 starts, Mc Tiny’s Hope sent her bankroll to $44,496 this semester, vaulting her over the $150,000 lifetime plateau — $153,270 to be exact. This was her 27th lifetime victory to go along with her Meadowlands mark of 1:53.3. As the 1-5 post time favorite, Mc Tiny’s Hope paid $2.40 to win.

Ranger and Mc Neil were the two driving stars on the program with Ranger winning three on the card, including the early Daily Double and young Ben Mc Neil sweeping both halves of the late Daily Double.

Racing continues on Saturday with Northern Companion looking to extend his winning streak while Raji’s Blue Line, No Bad Dreams, Who’s Your Maddy and G P S Legacy seek to knock last week’s winner off his perch as current king of the hill. Post time is 7:30 p.m.