River Shark ready to bite in Berry's Creek

May 07, 2009

The stakes season for harness racing's top 3-year-old colts gets underway with the $230,000 Berry's Creek Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

The Berry's Creek is the first major test for the sport's glamour boys and a stepping-stone to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 18. River Shark looms the one to beat with a 4-race streak entering Saturday's final, the featured seventh race with an estimated 9:11 p.m. post time. The son of Four Starzzz Shark is rated the 9-5 morning line favorite from post two, with Daniel Dube at the lines. Due to common ownership, he is coupled in the wagering with Vertigo Hanover, who finished a close third in his Berry's Creek elimination.

River Shark has been first or second in seven of eight starts this season. His four wins include an impressive 1:50.4 romp in the Robert J. Suslow Series Final on April 18 and a wire-to-wire score in his Berry's Creek elimination. River Shark was a $9,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Sale by trainer Dave Sabatelli and co-owners Aaron Waxman and Carmine Fusco. VIP Internet Stable acquired an interest in the gelding last Tuesday.

"He's a real simple horse to train," Sabatelli said. "I just have to keep him sound and happy. He doesn't do a whole lot of training in the week; we give him a pretty easy schedule. The race is going to be a wide-open affair. The other elimination field was tough."

Although River Shark is not among them, seven of the 10 Berry's Creek finalists are eligible to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace. They look to join the company of Artistic Fella, Mach Three, Cam's Card Shark and Hot Lead, each of whom parlayed a Berry's Creek win into Pace glory. Art Official was beaten as the favorite in the 2008 Berry's Creek en route to a 1:47 world record upset over Somebeachsomewhere.

The Meadowlands' Saturday card also features a pair of $50,000 eliminations that will decide the field for the $250,000 est. Graduate Final for older pacers on Saturday, May 16. The weekend stakes action kicks off Friday night, with the $40,000 elimination for the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial for trotters. The top nine will join Swan Image, who accept ed a bye, in the $200,000 est. final on May 16.

Field for the $230,000 Berry's Creek Final, Saturday, May 9:

H, PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer, Odds, Meadowlands Pace Eligible

1, 2, River Shark, Daniel Dube, Dave Sabatelli, 9-5, No

1A, 8, Vertigo Hanover, John Campbell, Duane Marfisi, 9-5, Yes

2, 1, Lisagain, Andy Miller, Erv Miller, 10-1, Yes

3, 3, Hypnotic Blue Chip, Tim Tetrick, Mark Harder, 7-2, Yes

4, 4, Western Posse, Brian Sears, Noel Daley, 10-1, Yes

5, 5, Annieswesterncard, Ron Pierce, Joe Seekman, 8-1, Yes

6, 6, Arctic Warrior, David Miller, Sam Beegle, 8-1, No

7, 7, Drop Red, George Brennan, Robert Horowitz, 4-1, Yes

8, 9, Pair A Dice, John Campbell, Steve Elliott, 15-1, Yes

9, 10, Vertical Horizon, Yannick Gingras, Bjorn Noren, 20-1, No
(Meadowlands)

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