Battle of the Brandywine set to return Sunday

After an 18-year lapse, the $250,000 Battle of the Brandywine Pace will be restarted Sunday with some of the nation's finest 3-year-old pacers competing at Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack.

Inaugurated in 1960, the "Battle" reigned as the most popular stakes race at Brandywine Raceway and drew thousands of fans to the harness track just across the state line in Delaware. Brandywine, known for its hospitality and retractable dining-room windows, closed down shortly after Au Crombie won the last "Battle" for a $100,000 purse in 1989.

Among the famous Battle of the Brandywine champions were Albatross in 1971, Nero in 1975 and Niatross in 1980.

Richard J. Kane, racing secretary at Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack, worked at Brandywine in its heyday and was eager to revive the nationally known event. More than 150 pacers were nominated for Sunday's 31st "Battle," and 34 entered, so the race will be split into five divisions worth $50,000 each. Post time for the 13-race card will be 3:30 p.m.

Always a Virgin is co-owned by Joe Hurley, a defense attorney in Wilmington, along with Val D'Or Farms and Bluewood Stable of New Jersey.

Among the six challengers in that division is Artzina, last year's 2-year-old pacing champion, who is trying to regain form under trainer Dylan Davis of Harrington, Del. If anyone can get Artzina rolling again, it's driver Tim Tetrick, who is charging toward the one-season record of 1,077 victories with many successful afternoons at Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack.

Here is a glance at the other four divisions of the 31st Battle of the Brandywine:

FIRST DIVISION--Ruff Me Up and Pardon You competed in last week's Adios Stakes at The Meadows in western Pennsylvania. Truey's Legacy qualified for the Meadowlands Pace final but finished out of the money.

SECOND DIVISION--Big Business, trained by South Jersey's Ben Stafford, is co-owned by former Philadelphia Flyers hockey star Rick MacLeish. The colt fared well last season in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. Big Al's Delight finished third in the $500,000 Hoosier Cup at Indiana Downs and may go off as the favorite.

THIRD DIVISION--Fresh Deck won the $500,000 New Jersey Classic in early June and gives the Holloway-Sears team a powerful combination with the Little Brown Jug only a few weeks away. His challengers in the Battle of the Brandywine will include T.J.'s Ideal, who just missed qualifying for the Adios final with Yannick Gingras driving, and Hennessy Hanover from the Stafford stable. Hennessy is a quick starter who may control the pace from the No. 5 post.

FIFTH DIVISION--Adios champion May June Character figures to battle Sutter Hanover from trainer Mark Harder's barn for top honors here. George Brennan drove May June Character to victory in last week's 41st Adios Stakes in 1:51.1. Sutter Hanover won the $450,000 Governor's Cup for 2 year olds last fall in New Jersey but has weakened in the homestretch of some major stakes this season.

The 31st Battle of the Brandywine guarantees at least six winners Sunday--the five division champions and the harness racing fans of the Delaware Valley.

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