After failing to qualify for the Breeders Crown during last week's eliminations, Ooh Bad Shark returned to Pocono Downs on the eve of the $5.6 million championship card and tried to make amends with a win in Friday's featured $25,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace.
Ooh Bad Shark and driver Howard Parker tucked in behind early leaver Summertime Lea (Matt Kakakley) through a :26.3 opening quarter and was shuffled back to third as Fashion Mystery (George Napolitano Jr.) -- away fourth -- brushed by to claim the leading role.
Fashion Mystery carved out middle splits of :55 and 1:23 with Romantic Moment (Ron Pierce) advancing first over around the final turn and leaving Ooh Bad Shark boxed in. But when Summertime Lea was pulled from the pocket into the stretch, Ooh Bad Shark zipped up the inside lane and overtook Fashion Mystery to prevail by one and a quarter lengths in 1:51.2. Summertime Lea finished alongside runner-up Fashion Mystery in third.
Ooh Bad Shark paid $10.40 to win as the 4-1 fourth choice in the field of eight.
The five-year-old daughter of Cams Card Shark, who finished ninth in the Breeders Crown elimination six and a quarter lengths off the winner, earned her fifth victory of the season in 20 starts and pushed her earnings to $85,830.
Trainer William Wiggins and Donna Fedorak share ownership of the homebred mare, who is now 18-for-53 lifetime with earnings soaring past the $250,000 mark.