Woodbine Mohawk Park: Shartin N bounces back to win Roses Are Red final

Just like she did earlier this year in the Blue Chip Matchmaker final, Shartin N rebounded after a break the week before to take the C$370,000 Roses Are Red final for pacing mares on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Shartin N (Tim Tetrick), who made a massive recovery after the break in her elimination last week just to make the final, started from post seven, and she would battle with elimination winner Blazin Britches (David Miller) to a 25 4/5 opening quarter before clearing to command.

After a half in 54 2/5, Corey Callahan called on Blue Moon Stride to come first-up from the fourth position, and she advanced steadily on the rim to get side-by-side with Shartin N at the 1:22 three-quarters. Lyons River Pride (Jody Jamieson) followed from second-over, but she began to gap out, forcing L A Delight (Yannick Gingras) to tip three-wide early.

In the stretch Tetrick got after Shartin N, urging her on, and she responded, diggin to fend off Blue Moon Stride by a length in a 1:49 3/5 mile. L A Delight was a rallying third, followed by Tequila Monday (Brett Miller). Firebby A (Louis-Philippe Roy) was the fifth-place finisher.

"I kind of let her tell me what she wanted to do off the gate, which I've always done," remarked Tetrick. "Today I did let her step forward pretty good to get an early position and it worked out where I was going to make my way to the front and I went ahead and did that. The times I have had her on the front, she's pretty lazy up there actually, and then she won't really go til she sees someone. She kept doing it, and I got nervous, but I should have just sat there. I think I would have been okay."

When asked about the break in stride the week before, Tetrick said, "She didn't want to listen to my audible. She's a good mare. She's got her quirks, but with as much speed as she has, she gets to overcome a lot of that."

A 5-year-old daughter of Tintin In America, Shartin N is trained by Jim King Jr. for owners Richard Poilucci and Jo Ann Looney-King. Shartin N is now 11-for-14 in the win column in her initial North American campaign and has 18 career victories. She has earned C$605,725 this year and C$681,842 lifetime. The 3-5 favorite, she paid $3.50 to win.