Shartin N wins 2020 debut

When you are voted Harness Horse of the Year, there are no easy races, even when you are making your first start of a new harness racing season.

Such was the case for 2019 Dan Patch Horse of the Year, Shartin N, who was able to close from last place at the top of the stretch to win in her 2020 debut at Dover Downs Wednesday.

The special $50,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Pace saw Write Me A Song (Yannick Gingras) go out to take early control of the race with Apple Bottom Jeans (Corey Callahan) getting the two-hole pocket trip to the opening quarter mile in :27.1.

There was no movement as the field passed the half mile in :55.1 and then things began to take shape in the backstretch. Bettor Joy N (Victor Kirby) came first-over and that flushed Callahan with Apple Bottom Jeans out of the two-hole as they went by the three-quarters in 1:22.1.

Meanwhile, Major Occasion A (Andy McCarthy) was on the outside second tier with Shartin N and driver Tim Tetrick still in last place but fanning out four-wide to mount their challenge.

Apple Bottom Jeans was able to wear down Write Me A Song, then take command starting down the stretch. It was then that both Major Occasion A and Shartin N each kicked-in another gear and Shartin N was the fastest of all, winning by a long neck in 1:50. Major Occasion A was second with Apple Bottom Jeans third.

“Last year I sent her to the front a lot,” said Tim Tetrick. “This time I told Jimmy (King) that I was taking her back and coming late and she got the job done tonight. She just showed how truly great she is.”

Trained by Jim King, Jr. for owners Richard Polliucci, JoeAnn Looney-King and Tim Tetrick, Shartin N, now age seven, is sired by Tintin In America and paid $2.60 to win as the overwhelming favorite.

“I don’t know how it can be any better than this,” King said in reference to Shartin N both winning tonight and winning Horse of the Year honors. “Especially the way she raced tonight. Here we go again, I hope.”

Shartin N will next race at Yonkers Raceway in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series.

The tenth race $27,500 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace saw Moments Of Joy and driver Victor Kirby leave like a rockets from post eight to take the early lead with Valuable Art (Corey Callahan) grabbing the two-hole spot to the opening quarter mile in :26.2.

Content to race Indian-style past the half mile in :55.3, it was not until the field reached the backstretch that Anytime N and driver Art Stafford, Jr. pulled from third place on the rail and came first-over to challenge Moments Of Joy for control of the lead.

Past the three-quarters in 1:22.4, Anytime N started to wear down Moments Of Joy and Stafford got his mare to clear to the lead as they started down the stretch.

Then, from last place, fanning four-wide on the final turn was Soho Burning Love A and driver Tim Tetrick. Try as they did, eating up ground in the stretch, they came up a head short to Anytime N, who stopped the teletimer in 1:51. Moments Of Joy was third.

It was a lifetime mark and the fifth win in her last six starts for Anytime N. The six-year-old mare by Bettors Delight is trained by Dylan Davis for owner Kalman Saul Liebowitz of Westlake Village, CA. She paid $10.20 to win.

By Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink