Sharky's Review out for Hawkeyes repeat

ALTOONA, Iowa - Defending champion Sharky's Review heads a field of five Iowa-bred fillies and mares in Saturday's $70,000 Hawkeyes Handicap at Prairie Meadows.

Sharky's Review, the 2003 Iowa-bred horse of the year, enters the 1 1/16-mile Hawkeyes following a seven-week layoff for trainer Mark Bader. In her most recent start here on May 8, Sharky's Review's rally fell three-quarters of a length short in the six-furlong Mamie Eisenhower when she finished second as the 4-5 favorite.

With two bullet five-furlong works here in the past two weeks, the late-running Sharky's Review seems primed for her return, and the added distance of the Hawkeyes figures to play into her favor.

Sharky's Review, a 6-year-old mare, sports an overall record of 14-5-6 from 32 career starts, good for $634,013 in earnings, making her the richest Iowa-bred mare ever. Perry Compton picks up the mount on Sharky's Review on Saturday. The pair get in at 123 pounds, conceding from four to 15 pounds to four rivals.

One Fine Shweetie, who finished second in this event last year behind Sharky's Review, figures as the main danger once again.

One Fine Shweetie, trained by Don Von Hemel, enters the Hawkeyes off a strong 10 1/2-length front-running score against allowance company here on June 8. The victory was her first in more than a year, but she had been stakes-placed three times during the winless streak.

One Fine Shweetie, a 5-year-old daughter of Shuailaan, has a career mark of 5-3-8 from 20 starts. A 46.89-second four-furlong bullet breeze here on Tuesday morning indicates One Fine Shweetie remains in sharp form and should give the favorite a battle on Saturday.

R.D. Williams picks up the mount on One Fine Shweetie on Saturday, as her regular rider, Terry Thompson, will be at Belmont riding Island Sand in the Grade 1 Mother Goose. One Fine Shweetie will carry 119 pounds.