by John Berry, for Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Baseball has its “Old Timers Day.” Bowling has its professional senior category. The Old Timers Hockey Challenge is legendary. At Pompano Park, it’s the “Over The Hill Gang” event for trotters 8-years-old and up that has become a very popular event here in South Florida.

On Tuesday night (Jan. 3), the sixth edition of the “Over The Hill Gang” trot was contested with a full field of nine and the only mare in the field, M T Ur Pockets, started her 10-year-old campaign with a gutsy win over her male counterparts, stopping the timer in 1:56.

Trainer Mike Simons, part owner of the grand mare with Albert Abdala III, was in the bike for the 1-1/2 length score over the 9-year-old Undercover Bro, handled by Tom Jackson. Ramzan, the youngster in the field at 8-years-old, rallied for third, 2-1/2 lengths away while Lexis D J finished fourth. R G Rocket overcame the outside nine post to pick up the nickel.

The daughter of Hard Rock N Roll, beginning from post two, was away in good order third as Benns Score Keeper and Adenium played musical chairs through opening fractions of :27.2 and :57.2 with Undercover Bro, fourth early on, on the attack past that halfway point with M T Ur Pockets catching the live cover.

With a picked up three-quarters in 1:26, Undercover Bro stuck his nose in front but was immediately confronted by M T Ur Pockets, using a :29.4 finale to score the win — her 34th career triumph.

In a post-race interview, Simons compared his 10-year-old mare with a good bottle of wine saying, “She just seems to get better with age. She just loves what she does and can brush with the good ones. She’s just a tough mare that loves when she has room to roam on the racetrack.”

Coming off her best season on the track in 2016 with earnings of $50,013, M T Ur Pockets now has career bounty totaling $233,625. As the 3-1 third choice in the wagering, M T Ur Pockets paid $8.80 to win.

Racing continues on Wednesday night with a quintet of mares going postward in the $11,000 Open. OK Heavenly, who has been knocking hooves with Godiva Seelster and Safe From Terror — both absent this week — has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite with Kevin Wallis down to drive. Metro Glide, Arodasi, Miss Mady and Drea’s Good Powow complete the talented field.

There is also a carryover of $1,200 in the track’s Pick-6, covering races three through eight.

Post time is 7:20 p.m.