by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — She’s not in the top ten in the weekly poll, but harness racing media representatives saw fit to supply Allie Labrook with enough recognition to be the 22nd best horse in the sport at this stage of the season. Dan Shetler knew from the beginning this mare was talented, but even he is a little star struck at how powerful she has become.

“I was looking for an Indiana eligible trotting filly,” said her conditioner/pilot. “She was the whole package with her pedigree and her looks. We were surprised she sold for as much as she did as a yearling, but we got her and then she made us wait on her.

“She was immature so we did not race her at two and just gave her time. Then when she was three she was a little sore, so we only raced her seven times, but as the season progressed, so did she. I knew she would turn out to be a nice horse, but our patience has paid off and she has completely exceeded my expectations.”

Linscott Photography

Allie Labrook heads into Friday’s encounter at Hoosier Park with $185,932 in lifetime earnings.

The 5-year-old daughter of Here Comes Herbie and the Schimitar mare Allie Jane, who is owned by Sawgrass Farms, will compete for her 20th career triumph on Friday (July 17) in the $21,000 Invitational Handicap Trot at Hoosier Park. The mare is the 2-1 morning line favorite to best Verlin Yoder’s team of Natural Herbie (5-2) and Lady Blitz (6-1) as well as Bobby Brower’s outstanding performer Penn (4-1) and Mark O’Mara’s Nothinbutanallstar (8-1). Shetler will be in the sulky to guide her on her journey.

“She likes it here at home,” Shetler said of the $55,000 2011 Hoosier Sale purchase. “She doesn’t ship all that well and when we took her to Mohawk for the first leg of the Miss Versatility I had to scratch her because she spiked a fever. Then she bounced right back and won the Invitational (at Hoosier Park) by dominating them within three weeks.

“So then we took her back up there for the Armbro Flight. We made some shoeing changes with her and that affected her gait a little bit. Then in the final, she was unfortunate enough to draw the 10 hole and the only thing you can fault her on is her gate speed. She came out 10th and I could never put her in a position to improve because all I had was dead cover. Then in the next leg of the Miss Versatility, she was out finished by a neck and was third. She just does not get over the track well at Mohawk.”

Allie Labrook is the second foal from her dam and her older half sibling Hardrock Kid (Cincinnati Kid, 6,1:57.1s, $162,526) is also a member of the $100,000-plus club. Her younger full sibling, Arthur Luck, who is a 2-year-old, is also co-owned by Sawgrass Farms, but has yet to qualify.

This mare has a career resume of 32-19-4-5, a bankroll of $185,932 and a lifetime mark of 1:52s established in May of this year. She quietly amassed a record of 17-13-2-1 in 2014 and in 2015 she is 8-3-1-3.

“She is very easy on herself,” Shetler said. “She is so quiet you would hardly know she is in the barn, which is unique for a trotting mare. She is an absolute joy.”

Although she is quite attached to Hoosier Park or definitely enjoys her home base, Allie Labrook will be taking her show on the road over the course of the season.

“We have her in at the Meadowlands, I think on Hambletonian Day (in the Fresh Yankee),” Shetler said. “We’ll ship her three or four days before the race to give her time to get used to everything. We also have her staked to some other races as well. There just is not much for her here because she is an older trotting mare, so I can’t get her in every week. Also, she really hasn’t been challenged at home. She was much the best last week.”

Shetler, who replaced George Sholty as the trainer/driver for Castleton Farms in 1985, is looking forward to seeing what his mare can accomplish over the right surface against top competition.

“I think the Meadowlands will really suit her,” he said. “She likes a firm track, which Hoosier usually is, and a long stretch. She has been so worth the wait. She has more than repaid all of the time we spent to let her mature. I never thought she would be quite this good, so it is very rewarding to be a part of.”