Red Mile: Caviart Ally hands Shartin a rare defeat

It’s been a long time in coming, but finally Caviart Ally was able to get the better of Shartin. The occasion was Sunday’s $87,000 Allerage Farms Open Mare Pace at The Red Mile, and Caviart Ally rolled by the 1-5 Shartin in the late stages to score in 1:48 3/5 over a track listed as good.

As expected with just six entered, the 1-5 favorite Shartin and driver Tim Tetrick left to control in the early stages. Kissin In The Sand yielded, and Andy McCarthy put Caviart Ally into the three-hole to settle for a while.

Shartin cruised unthreatened on the lead through fractions of 27 2/5, 54 3/5, and 1:22, with Caviart Ally coming to the outside past the first five-eighths and going on the offensive. The two brilliant pacing mares got locked in a duel into the homestretch, with Shartin unable to fend off a determined Caviart Ally. A 26 3/5 final quarter put Caviart Ally over the leading candidate for harness Horse of the Year by more than a length. Shartin, racing for the first time in a month, held on for second, with Kissin In The Sand holding third.

Sent off as the 3-1 second choice Caviart Ally paid $8.40. Brett Pelling trains the daughter of Bettor's Delight for Caviart Farms.

“It’s always a thrill watching her,” said Judy Chafee, co-owner of Caviart Ally.

Pelling was making an appeal to bring back the 5-year-old mare for another year.

“She’s just a pleasure to be around,” said Pelling. “We’ve been trying to race her different ways.” Pelling was referring to the strategy of beating Shartin. “She’s really on her game right now.”

Caviart Ally will go next in the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park.