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Lis Mara sets Chester track mark

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July 16, 2007

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Lis Mara, the defending national champion among older pacers, stormed into Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack on Sunday and set a track record of 1:49, leading eight qualifiers into the $300,000 Ben Franklin Pace final.

Lis Mara, the even-money favorite driven by Brian Sears, rallied from seventh-place 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," and 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. "Lis Mara goes to the breeding farm next year," Willinger said, "so we're trying to win every race we're in."

Lis Mara is 6-for-9 this season with earnings of $398,450, pushing his career total to $1,546,471. He lost the Billy Haughton Final in his previous start after developing "the thumps" during the race, according to assistant trainer Tony Alagna.

Trainer Joe Holloway said his third-place finisher, Gold Dust Beach, would need an inside post to contend in the Ben Franklin Final. "He's an early-speed horse, so an outside post would leave him out of luck in this company."

The other five starters, who chased Lisa Mara home, will be Boulder Creek, Timesareachanging, Artistic Fella, Bay Sign and Jereme's Jet. (Harrah's Chester)

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