Plainridge: Shartin dominates in Clara Barton Distaff Pace

Shartin defended her title in the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace for open mares on Sunday afternoon at Plainridge Park in style, wiring the field in 1:48 1/5 to turn in the fastest mile in the history of the oval. That time also missed her own world record for an older pacing mare on a five-eighths-mile track by only a fifth of a second.

Driver Tim Tetrick put Shartin right on the engine today, blasting out from post two and controlling the proceedings through an opening quarter in 26 2/5 and a half in 54 3/5. Kissin In The Sand (Yannick Gingras) was under a big hold in the pocket behind Shartin, and Soho Burning Love (Jordan Stratton) would come to the outside first-up from fourth after the half.

Soho Burning Love would pick up cover heading to the 1:21 4/5 three-quarters as Kissin In The Sand vacated the two-hole, but Shartin gave Kissin In The Sand the cold shoulder to that marker and around the final bend, then drew off powerfully in the lane, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Soho Burning Love went three-wide late on the last turn and came on to get second, giving trainer Jim King Jr. the top two finishers in the race, and Philly Hanover (Dexter Dunn) was third at 38-1. Kissin In The Sand, Trillions Hanover (David Miller), and Kimberlee (Andy Miller) rounded out the order.

Richard Poillucci, Jo Ann Looney-King, and Tim Tetrick LLC. own Shartin, the 2019 Horse of the Year. The 7-year-old New Zealand-bred daughter of Tintin In America posted her 44th career victory, and she has now earned $2,244,946. She was the 1-5 favorite and paid $2.60 to win.