Lis Mara & Total Truth take Canada

On a night favoring odds-on favorites, Lis Mara & Total Truth won their respective eliminations of The Canadian Pacing Derby Saturday at Mohawk.  In tight finishes, Lis Mara won his $50,000 elimination in 1:49.4 while Total Truth posted a 1:50.2 win.

Leaving from post seven, Lis Mara posted seventh place calls at every marker until the finish and with a late rush, he came from behind, posting a :25.3 last quarter, to win.  Only half a length back was Mister Big with Took Hanover hanging on for third.  The win, with Brian Sears in the bike, marked Lis Mara’s seventh of twelve starts on the season for owners MJG Racing Stables, Inc. and Louis Willinger.  Erv Miller trains the five-year-old son of Cambest.

"I didn't think we could win from where we were, but I wanted to race him that way knowing we had to be in the top five to make the final,” said winning driver Sears. “We drew in a perfect spot to follow Mister Big tonight, and he managed to get to him in the lane. The expectations are very high for this horse, and tonight he was able to capitalize on the trip."

Total Truth and driver Ron Pierce had to overcome a fourth place call at the top of the Mohawk stretch to post his win by a quarter length in 1:50.2.  The four-year-old by Jennas Beach Boy started out with a pocket trip behind Boulder Creek but got shuffled back to fourth by the three quarter pole.  Giving a :26 last quarter effort, Total Truth was able to edge out second place finisher Boulder Creek and third place finisher Western Shore.  Owned by Delaware residents Only Money Inc., Rodney Mitchell Inc. and Teague Inc., Total Truth now has two wins on the season.

"We were lucky to find some room at the head of the lane, and he shook loose for the win.” said Pierce following the race. “I didn't want to race him too tough tonight, the big money is next week. He had a really rough three-year-old year, and it took him a while to get his legs under him this season to go with the big boys.”

The $737,000 Canadian Pacing Derby Final will be raced on Saturday, August 18^th.  Here is the complete field in post position order:

1   Total Truth

2   Doonbeg

3   Lis Mara

4   Tigerama

5   Western Shore

6   Timesareachanging

7   Mister Big

8   Took Hanover

9   My Panmar

10 Boulder Creek

AE Holborn Hanover

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