Ooh Bad Shark has been nothing but Ooh Good Shark since starting her 2015 campaign earlier this month, and Wednesday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono she went a stunning North American season's record mile in 1:49.2 to win the $25,000 Handicap Mares Pace.
The seven-year-old daughter of Cams Card Shark opened her season with a win at Harrah’s Philadelphia, then in her last two races had been third and second to the rampaging Show Runner, who entered Wednesday’s race with a six-race winning streak. But “The Shark’s" driver Jim Morrill Jr. knew his mare was sharpening, so he made a daring quarter-move from fifth at the noted front-runner after a :26.4 opener, and paced her own second quarter in :26.3 to go by Show Runner at the :54.2 half.
Down the backstretch, Ooh Bad Shark had Show Runner literally breathing down her back, and then Valerya made a huge first-over bid that carried her to within a length of the leader at the 1:21.4 three-quarters. Around the final turn, Show Runner finally began to melt a bit, but Valerya actually drew on even terms with “The Shark” as they turned for home.
In the stretch, Valerya actually got a head in front, but Morrill kept asking his mare, and she had more to give, fighting back to the top past mid-stretch to finally eke out a neck decision. Show Runner held for third, another two lengths behind.
Veteran William Wiggins could not have a sharper distaff in his care, and Wiggins is also co-owner and co-breeder of the winner of $394,405 with Donna Fedorak.
Pocono will be featuring a doubleheader of racing on Saturday, Kentucky Derby Day, with the 11 a.m. card highlighted by four division of a PA All-Stars contest for three-year-old trotting colts, and the 6:30 p.m. evening session topped by the Van Rose Memorial Pace for the Free-For-All set.
The northeast PA track ends a racing “holiday weekend” Sunday with three divisions of the PA All-Stars event for the Hambletonian set’s filly counterparts (no slight meant, Mission Brief). Such promising sophomore misses as Livininthefastlane, third in her Breeders Crown final last year, 1:54.2 two-year-old Lilu Hanover, and Goldsmith Maid elim winner Gatka Hanover will be among the fillies trying to make their marks in the early season.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono)