Lisagain wins Four Leaf Clover by nose

You could say it took a bit of an Irish connection to win this year's Four Leaf Clover Final. In a wild rush to the finish, Lisagain, bred by Timothy J. Rooney, out-sprinted Alexie Mattosie and Golden Receiver to win the $132,000 final by a nose Saturday night at Meadowlands Racetrack.

 

In what was perhaps the most competitive final in the stake’s history, Lisagain was sent off as the fifth choice in the betting and paid $10.40 for his 1:50.3 win.

 

Lisagain sat third on the pylons through a :54.4 half before angling out to challenge the pacesetter Beeyouuuuu down the backstretch. He passed the tiring leader midway down the lane and dug in gamely in the final strides for Hall of Fame driver John Campbell.

 

Alexie Mattosie, driver George Brennan’s choice over Lisagain, moved three-wide on the far turn and fell just a nose short at the wire. Golden Receiver shook loose late to finish third, just a head behind them.

 

Lisagain is trained by Erv Miller and improved his impressive seasonal slate to five wins in eight starts and surpassed $217,000 in career earnings for owners Mystical Marker Farms of Dyer, IN and John Carver of Moline, IL. The 4-year-old son of Dragon-Again-Lisheen is a half-brother to 2006 Older Pacer of the Year Lismara. Last year at age three he won four of 19 starts and took a mark of 1:52 at The Meadows. (Meadowlands)