Sharky's Review takes on familiar foes

ALTOONA, Iowa - Sharky's Review, the Iowa-bred horse of the year in 2003, faces defending champion One Fine Shweetie and five other statebred fillies and mares in the $60,000 Mamie Eisenhower Stakes Saturday at Prairie Meadows.

Sharky's Review, whose $621,869 in earnings make her the all-time leading money-winning Iowa-bred mare, made a successful 2004 debut here on April 16 in an allowance race for Iowa-breds. She rallied for an easy 1 3/4-length score in the six-furlong contest, defeating four rivals that she will face again at the same distance in the Eisenhower.

Under the allowance conditions of the Eisenhower, Sharky's Review actually drops three pounds from the allowance victory, and will carry 120 on Saturday.

Sharky's Review's regular rider, Luis Quinonez, will once again be aboard for trainer Mark Bader and owner Paul Tonderum. Sharky's Review, a late-running 6-year-old daughter of Sharkey, counts the 2002 Mamie Eisenhower among her 14 career wins.

One Fine Shweetie won this event as the 6-5 favorite last year, defeating Sharky's Review by 2 1/2 lengths. Trained by Don Von Hemel, One Fine Shweetie is winless in six starts since that race, but she did finish on the board four times.

In her most recent start, One Fine Shweetie finished third, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, in the April 16 allowance race here. Overall, she sports a record of 4-3-6 from 17 starts. Terry Thompson has a return call on One Fine Shweetie, who will also carry 120 pounds in the Eisenhower.

Only at Night finished second between Sharky's Review and One Fine Shweetie on April 16 and returned to finish fourth against open company in the Prairie Rose Stakes here April 24. She is the likely pacesetter on Saturday for trainer Suzanne Evans. David Essman rides Only at Night, who finished third in this race last year.