With the resumption of racing in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States yet to be realized, Delaware-based trainer Jim King Jr. has been forced to maintain a holding pattern a little longer than stables based farther north. Yet, forced layoff notwithstanding, the leading ladies in King's stable are poised to build on impressive 2019 campaigns.
"I just want to keep every horse within 10 days of me being comfortable dropping them in the box," King told Trot Insider. But for one of his mares in particular, this restart will be 'take two' for this season.
In her lone 2020 start, Shartin N swept past five rivals for a 1:50 win in a $50,000 mares invitational on March 4 at Dover Downs, a race which was supposed to be a springboard for the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers Raceway. Instead, the now seven-year-old daughter of Tintin In America had to gear her jets down just as soon as she ramped back up, but King has her pointed to a Wednesday (June 3) qualifier at Magical Acres in Chesterfield, N.J. Tim Tetrick, who shares ownership of Shartin N with Richard Poilucci and JoAnn Looney-King, will drive.
The 42-time winner eclipsed the million-dollar mark in earnings last year, and her 15 wins included her second consecutive triumph in the Roses Are Red at Woodbine Mohawk Park as well as the fastest mile of her career to date — a scintillating 1:46.4 showing in the Lady Liberty at The Meadowlands.
"We were so pleased with her first start back and thought we were ready to go," King said. "But, like everybody, we got put on hold."
During the down time, King switched gears and focused on maintaining the mare's endurance — enough to reduce wear and tear but keep her in shape.
"With the uncertainty of how things would go, we didn't completely shut down," King continued. "We did back off some and we changed her routine. I tow her a lot, and she enjoys that. We changed up our training style to keep her fit but not put a lot of pressure. We'll train her a mile and a half or two miles. She's a pretty easy keeper; she doesn't require a whole lot of work."
She trained as aggressively as she has since the forced layoff on May 23, when she travelled in company with a pair of stablemates and flashed her patented turn of foot.
"We put her with a couple other horses, and she just exploded," said King. "She thoroughly enjoyed that day. I've trained her back a few times since, but nothing that tough."
Given the interruption, Shartin N's schedule for the season remains guesswork at best for King. And while the chances of another million-dollar season are greatly diminished, he's optimistic she has yet to reach her full potential among a tough distaff division.
"I'm very much looking forward to getting started back this year," King said. "Actually, I think she's more controllable; Timmy's going to be able to race her a bit differently. I feel that she's all set to do another year after this."
Not far in Shartin N's shadow, Lyons Sentinel will look to build on a remarkable rookie year, in which she posted nine wins and banked $920,262 in purses over a gruelling 14-race campaign.
"We raced her late, so we got a late start bringing her back," King said. "I'm not in any big hurry to throw her back in."
Lyons Sentinel's biggest win to date came on Canadian soil, when she recorded her mark of 1:49.3 in the $540,000 Shes A Great Lady at Woodbine Mohawk Park to accompany wins in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final and the Matron Stakes and a narrow defeat in the Breeders Crown.
The daughter of Captaintreacherous and Tutu Hanover was only a neck shy of sweeping her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes series, and King felt that Lyons Sentinel's runner-up and third-place efforts in the Breeders Crown and Three Diamonds respectively were among her best.
"She didn't tail off toward the end; there were just other horses who really stepped up," he said. "She went a winning trip in the Three Diamonds — she raced her heart out but finished third (to JK First Lady). There was no shame, that's for sure."
Pending the resumption of racing in the Keystone State, Lyons Sentinel will aim for the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit once again along with select Grand Circuit events, yet question marks still abound as far as the specifics of her schedule.
"Until it comes out in print, I just don't know where or when they're going to go," King remarked.
Still, King is delighted with Lyons Sentinel's attitude and work ethic, and even makes an apt comparison to her decorated stablemate from Down Under.
"She likes her job," King said. "She's a lot like Shartin in the aspect that you won't find them winning by five lengths. They just go get the job done."