Shark Gesture debuts

April 22, 2007

Breeders Crown champion Shark Gesture made an impressive 4-year-old debut, winning the second of two divisions of the $21,500 Race Time Free For All at Balmoral Park Saturday night in 1:50.3. In the first split, Thisbigdogwillfight was a 1:50.4 winner.

Redbud Stable and Michael McNeely�s Thisbigdogwilfight once again lived up to his moniker as he confidently held five rivals at bay to win by 2 1/4 lengths in a snappy 1:50.4.

Sent to the front after an opening quarter in :27 by driver Dave Magee, Thisbigdogwilfight proceeded to rattle off splits of :55 and 1:24 while maintaining a 1 1/4 length advantage.

Looking fit and fresh as the field straightened for the stretch drive, the Jim Eaton trainee effortlessly clicked off a :26.4 final split to notch his second straight Balmoral Park victory. Winslow Hustler (Sam Widger) used a strong :26.3 final panel to rally for the place honors while Blue Apache (Mike Oosting) was third.

Sent off as the even-money favorite, this Illinois-bred champion returned $4.00, $3.20 and $2.60 while pushing his career earnings up to $217,775.

In the nightcap, Norma and Gerald Smiley and T L P Stable's Shark Gesture made cruised home with a very impressive two-length triumph in an effortless 1:50.3.

Allowed to settle in third as Manhardt (Dave Magee) rolled through an opening split in :27.1, driver Brent Holland tugged on the right line as the field settled onto the backstretch. With the long fluid strides that helped earn him a Breeders Crown title in 2006, Shark Gesture effortlessly charged by his rivals, leading the way by the halfway point in :54.3.

Gracefully gliding around the final bend, Shark Gesture braced for a first-over challenge from 10-1 shot Falcatraz (Mike Oosting). These two were just heads apart as they sped by the three-quarter-mile station in 1:23.3.

The field then got a taste of Shark Gesture�s class as he quickly sprinted away to a 2 1/2-length advantage by the mid-stretch call. Despite being under a stranglehold by Holland, Shark Gesture paced home in :27.1 to open his 2007 account. Manhardt (Dave Magee) followed the winner�s every move from the quarter-pole on, but was forced to settle for the runner-up role while Make It Brief (Joe Anderson) was 4 1/4 lengths back in third.

Under the tutelage of top conditioner Erv Miller, Shark Gesture appears poised to put together another huge season for his connections. Pounded at the windows despite being away since November, Shark Gesture returned $3.60 and $2.60. With only four betting interests in the contest, show wagering was not offered on the race. (Balmoral Park)

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