Sophomore pacer Backstreet Shadow failed to win a race during a rookie season that was made up of just three races, but it doesn’t look as though winning races is going to a problem this year for the speedball.

After a near miss in his 2018 debut for trainer Gregg McNair, the son of Shadow Play-Backstreet Sweetie returned to action Thursday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park and easily turned a ground-saving trip into a career-best performance clocked in 1:52.2.

Doug McNair got away third with his charge while Albergo Hanover fired to the top and controlled the tempo through fractions of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:26. Backstreet Shadow blasted off the pylons going to the three-quarter pole, and he exploded home in :26.2 on a cold and windy night to halt the teletimer in 1:52.2. He was 3-1/2 length better than Albergo Hanover, while Yacht Seelster was a well-beaten third in the $14,000 affair.

Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Backstreet Shadow improved his overall record to 1-2-0 from five trips to the track for owners Lindsey and Connie Rankin of Lexington, Michigan. The $82,000 purchase from the 2016 Forest City Yearling Sale has banked $14,000 to date.

To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.