“It sure would be nice if she continued the way she has so far. It’s always nice when you have an exceptional horse and that’s what she is."

 

Lady Shadow paced her way to racing fame in her sophomore campaign last year, bankrolling nearly $300,000 and burning up the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit. Her impressive speed earned her O’Brien Award honours in the Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly category for trainer Gregg McNair.

 

After returning to the track for her former connections in 2015, the Shadow Play mare changed ownership in May and found herself with a new trainer. Purchased by David Kryway, Carl Atley, Edwin Gold and Richard Lombardo, she was then shipped to Ron Adams’ barn to debut for her new connections. Since then, she's won each of her three starts.

 

For Kryway, his interest in Lady Shadow started last year. With a little luck, he is along for the ride this year for her four-year-old campaign.

 

“I’ve got horses with one of the other fellows, Richard (Lombardo); we’ve had some horses in the past and one or two now,” said Kryway. “Gregg was training the mare, I have some horses with him so I talked to Gregg, got the phone numbers and somehow it all came together.

 

“Gregg has a lot of two and three-year-olds, a large number of them. As they get older, usually the people he trains for move their horses when they reach their four-year-old year. I believe that’s basically how this sale came about. I was interested in her last year but it didn’t happen and then I did get a call to say there was a price on her, which kind of shocked me. One thing led to another and we bought her.”

 

Lady Shadow hasn’t slowed down this year, picking up a new mark of 1:48.3 in her Roses are Red elimination for her new connections. She continued her winning form in the final the following week, capturing the victor’s share of $350,000 with authority over post-time favourite Yagonnakissmeornot.

 

“Ron didn’t change anything when he took her over, she was well rested and ready to race. She kind of surprised me, I didn’t think she’d step up the way she did and beat some of the mares she did. It’s tough for a four-year-old against those aged mares but she was tough too.”

 

With the Summertime and Town Pro series finals on Mohawk’s Saturday card in conjunction with Ontario Sires Stakes Gold action, plans are for Lady Shadow to be back to the track the following weekend. Though her schedule for 2015 hasn’t been decided definitively, there are multiple events on her radar that will also see her stateside later in the season.

 

“As the season goes on, I believe she’s got something in Vernon and she’s eligible to a few smaller things on the way to the Breeders Crown at the end of the season," stated Kryway. "It’s always nice when a horse you own crosses the wire first, no matter the class.”

 

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Hannah Beckett)