Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Lis Mara Sets New Track Record at Chester

July 15, 2007

Lis Mara set a new track record at Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack on Sunday for driver Brian Sears in 1:49.

The new harness racing track, only four days into its second season, will present its first nationally significant event next Sunday, July 22, as part of a 13-race card starting at 3:30 pm, ET. Track officials expect the Ben Franklin Pace to become an important part of the national campaign for Pacer of the Year candidates.

Lis Mara, the even-money favorite driven by Brian Sears, rallied from seventh with a three-wide brush around the final turn and fought off Took Hanover, a 19-1 shot driven by John Campbell, to win a photo finish by a head.

"There wasn't much of a flow in the outer tier," Sears said. "I couldn't afford to sit and wait too long. So I took my horse three-wide and he was able to stay on the engine till the wire."

Cheering the winner home was co-owner Andy Willinger of Louisville, Ky.

Lis Mara is 6-for-9 this season with earnings over $400,000, pushing his career total just shy of $1.7 million. He lost the Billy Haughton Final at the Meadowlands in his previous start after developing "the thumps" (equine hiccups) during the race, according to assistant trainer Tony Alagna.

The other five starters who chased Lis Mara home and qualified for the final were Boulder Creek, Timesareachanging, Artistic Fella, Bay Sign, and Jeremes Jet.

Timesareachanging won the 2004 Little Brown Jug as a three-year-old and reigned as Aged Pacer of the Year in 2005. He missed last season with a left foreleg injury. Artistic Fella captured the 2006 Meadowlands Pace, a $1 million classic, but is four for 12 this season and battling stamina problems. Boulder Creek, a seven-year-old gelding with $2.9 million in earnings, followed Artistic Fella around the Chester track for three-quarters of a mile Sunday, but neither could fend off Lis Mara or Took Hanover in the stretch.

"Lis Mara is goes to the breeding farm next year," co-owner Willinger said. "We're trying to win every race we're in."