Shark Gesture, tuning up for his 2010 Breeders Crown race, looked awfully good Thursday morning in a qualifying race at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
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Leaving from the eight hole, driver-trainer Ray Remmen was four deep early on but got to the front with the opening panel clicked off in 27.3. The half was timed in 55.4 with the rest of the field trailing.
Shark Gesture, making every pole a winning one, paced to the three-quarter pole in 1:22.4 before winning in 1:50.3. It was a 24 and ¾ length victory.
“I’m very happy with his race today,” said Remmen. “I don’t know what happened to him in Canada. It was very disappointing and he just threw in a clunker.”
Shark Gesture had his worst start ever in the Canadian Pacing Derby September 4 when he finished 10th in the race.
“He’s been training well and he’s okay physically,” added Remmen.
While Remmen was feeling good about his horse’s qualifier, it wasn’t the same for R. Nifty Norman, trainer of 2009 Breeders Crown champion Poof She’s Gone.
The three-year-old filly trotter, who won 10 of 12 starts last season, including a Breeders Crown title, qualified second Thursday morning with Remmen driving.
Poof Shes Gone finished the race almost eight lengths back of Bar Slide, who was timed in 1:57.2. Poof Shes Gone covered the course in 1:59 after being fourth for the first half of the mile before sitting second the rest of the way.
“She (Poof She’s Gone) hasn’t been good since the Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands,” offered Norman. “It has been one thing after another.
“I probably shouldn’t have raced her in the Simcoe in Canada. She got some kind of reaction from eating a weed. Her throat swelled up. This is the second time this has happened.
“I’m really concerned. She got ‘pacey’ at the top of the stretch today and almost broke stride.”
In that Mohawk race in Canada September 4 Poof She’s Gone also had a 10th place finish.
Norman is hoping to turn things around for the October 9 Breeders Crown race at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
(Pocono Downs)