Charlene Sharpe is doing what she loves to do. The full-time reporter who works for the Dispatch newspaper of Berlin, Md. is moonlighting by showing and racing horses. She is having a great time, along with being successful.

The hardworking journalist also has written articles for Hoof Beats and the USTA website.

Sharpe acquired Dont Fool Me Now an 11-year-old by Camotion out of Philly Fantasy, an Abercrombie mare, last year when the owners gave up on him and turned him over to Sharpe. She rested the horse for a year, converting the gelding over to being a pleasure horse.

Along the way she found out that the gelding loves watermelon. It is her secret weapon.

Dont Fool Me Now's attitude and disposition changed so much that Sharpe decided to drop him in the entry box for a race at the Pocomoke Fair in Pocomoke City, Md.

On August 1 the gelding won his race at the fair. The following week she entered him in four events at the National Standardbred Show on August 9 in New Jersey and he would ‘ribbon’ in all four events.

The next night (August 10) he was off to the races at Ocean Downs where he won his race wire-to-wire in 1:57.3 with the veteran Frank Milby at the reins.

Her other horse, Wynnfield Flash, that she also owns and trains, won his race at Ocean Downs on August 7, also with Milby in the bike.

Both horses are in to go for Monday night (August 17) at Ocean Downs.

Dont Fool Me Now is scheduled to compete in the Clarissa Coughlin-organized Maryland National Standardbred Horse Show at the Timonium State Fair on Monday (August 31).

Sharpe's mother, Pam Polk, who at one time worked at Roosevelt Raceway for Frank Popfinger and is currently a USTA tattoo technician, will also be completing along with Charlene's good friend, Cate Carrick Nellans.

(Fred Hudson)