by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Mc Tiny’s Hope and Just A Bee captured their respective Open events for mares on Monday night (Jan. 5) at Pompano Park but had to share the spotlight with the ballooning Super Hi-5 Jackpot now standing at $26,637 going into the next racing program on Wednesday night.

Mc Tiny’s Hope, a homebred daughter of CR Excalibur, trained by John McNeil III for owner Ellen McNeil, captured the $13,500 Open Trot for mares, giving young driver Ben McNeil his very first win in a race featuring a purse higher than $10,000.

Skip Smith photo

Mc Tiny’s Hope gave Ben McNeil his first lifetime victory for a purse higher than $10,000.

The 24-year-old McNeil, who started driving last year and won 30 races, sent his charge on a backstretch blitz from fifth, taking the lead on the strength of an individually timed quarter of :28 and then held off the late surging M T Ur Pockets, handled by Ed Hensley, to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.2. Trot Fudge Sundae, driven by Tom Sells, rallied for third while the lukewarm favorite, Reverie Devictoire, finished fourth. Saint Pattys Doll earned the final award in the octet.

In a post race interview, driver Ben McNeil said, “It’s quite a thrill competing against these exceptionally talented group of horsemen and to win a race against them is pretty neat. Of course, fame can be fleeting, but right now, I’m a pretty happy guy!”

Mc Tiny’s Hope won for the 22nd time in her career of 98 starts to send her lifetime bankroll to $115,524. As third choice in the evenly matched field, Mc Tiny’s Hope paid $12,80 to win.

The companion event for pacing mares — worth $12,500 — went to Just A Bee, now considered the “Queen Bee” of the Open pacing ranks for distaffers. This 7-year-old daughter of Mr Feelgood, trained and driven by Mike Micallef for owners Anita Micallef, John Mc Goff and Greg Heath, got yet another picture perfect journey to score in 1:50.3, equaling her lifetime best effort.

Away very alertly from the outside six post, Just A Bee settled in right behind McFlirty, driven by Ricky Macomber Jr., and followed that one through lively panels of :27.1, :54.3 and 1:22.3 before leaving her cozy pocket turning for home and wearing down the leader at the sixteenth pole to score by 1-1/4 lengths. P L Hula, the longest proposition in the field at 29-1, finished third for Kevin Wallis while De Vins Girl was next. Pertty Music picked up the nickel.

After the race, driver Mike Micallef related, “My mare is really sharp now and very handy. I didn’t see too much action inside leaving — only McFlirty — so I left and found a very comfortable spot back of her. We’ve kind of played musical chairs in the past with each of our mares beating the other on a few occasions. I got the perfect trip tonight. Who knows, maybe she’ll get the perfect trip next time. But I’ll certainly take this one!”

JUst A Bee, a 10 race winner in 2014, earned her 26th lifetime victory to send her career bankroll to $155,566. Since arriving at Pompano Park, her scorecard reads 5-2-1 in eight starts, the last three of which are wins. As the 9-5 favorite on the tote board, Just A Bee returned $5.60 to her faithful.

A rather unusual “show” oddity occurred right off the bat in the first race when the 1-5 tote board favorite, Taylor B Swift, made a miscue early enabling some boxcar show payoffs at the track.

Five Stars Queen, handled by Joe Pavia Jr., won the event at 9-1 and paid $30.40 to show. Viewish, off at 6-1, finished second and paid $16.80 to show while Flashy, off at better than 25-1, paid $63.80 to show after finishing third.

Pompano Park’s Super Hi-5, once again, had multiple winners and the carryover going into the next racing program on Wednesday night is $26,637.05. Post time for the Wednesday night 10-race card is 7:30 p.m.