Woodbine Mohawk Park: Shartin scores again in Roses Are Red

Shartin backed up her win in last year's Roses Are Red for pacing mares at Woodbine Mohawk Park by capturing it again in 2019, leading at every call and reporting home with a 1:49 verdict in the C$330,000 contest.

Tim Tetrick fired Shartin right to the front from post four, putting Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy) in the pocket before the 25 4/5 opening quarter. With nobody wanting to move at the big mare, Shartin was able to steal a major breather in the second quarter, getting to the half in just 54 4/5.

Shartin began to pick up the tempo around the far turn, easily fending off the first-over bid of Seaswift Joy (Doug McNair), and a 26 3/5 final kicker got her to the line a length and three-quarters to the good over pylon-skimming 33-1 shot Tequila Monday (Matt Kakaley). Caviart Ally was third, followed by Shartin's stablemate Bettor Joy (Dexter Dunn) and Youaremycandygirl (Yannick Gingras).

"She's tough. I had a spot where I wanted to go ahead and try to get control, and she does the rest," said Tetrick. "She's pretty easy to drive now; she'll let me relax on the lead. She just keeps going. When someone comes on her, she really likes to fight. She's a great horse. I just wanted to see who was first-up. After that 29 quarter down the backside I felt pretty good about my horse, and she did the rest from there.

"She keeps surprising me every day, and she seems to get tougher and tougher. No matter what I do, she overcomes it. So far, so good, she's sound, she's healthy, and she loves to do her work. (Trainer) Jimmy (King Jr.) and I talk about how tough as nails she is. We haven't messed it up yet between me and him. She's been a lot of fun."

Tetrick also co-owns Shartin, a 6-year-old New Zealand import by Tintin In America with Richard Poillucci and Joann Looney-King. Shartin made her 34th stop in the winner's circle, and she now shows earnings of C$1,726,155. The 1-5 favorite, she paid $2.50 to win.