Benear sets world record at Harrah's opening

Benear bested Rainbow Blue's world record for 4-year-old pacing mares on a five-eighths mile track on Monday's opening day card at Harrah's Chester, an effort that also equaled the all-age distaff record for any size track. Also, Nanny Withafanny set a track record while Tim Tetrick drove six winners.

David Scharf and Jerry Silva’s Benear stopped the timer in 1:49.3 in the winners over for fillies and mares, besting the mark set by Rainbow Blue in 2005 at Dover Downs by one-fifth of a second. The time equaled 3-year-old filly Southwind Tempo's 1:49.3 world-record score at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs last month.

Driven by Cat Manzi and trained by Carl Cito Jr., Benear assumed the lead just after the initial quarter, and cut the half-mile in :54.3 and three-quarters in 1:22 en route to a 10-length victory.

“I let her roll up the back,” said Manzi, “and I once I saw 1:22 (for three-quarters), I knew she could come home in :28.”

Earlier on the card, Nanny Withafanny provided one of Tetrick’s six victories by cruising to victory in the day’s featured open handicap. Her time of 1:51.1 was the fastest a filly or mare of any age has raced at Harrah’s Chester.

Six divisions of the Dana Irving series were contested on Monday, with two horses, Bret’s New Journey and Cruiser Weight, recording 1:52 miles. Other Dana Irving elimination winners were Lesters Wester (1:52.3), Leutenant General (1:52.4), Backintheday (1:53.2) Golden Galaxy (1:53.2), and Art-Smarty (1:55.2). (with files from Harrah's Chester)

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