Lis Mara wins Red Mile qualifier

Reigning Older Pacer of the Year Lis Mara cruised to a 1:51.3 victory in a qualifier late Thursday afternoon at The Red Mile, his first appearance since finishing fourth in the $500,000 Breeders Crown final Sept. 1 at Mohawk.

Driven by Dave Palone, Lis Mara led at every call to best runner-up Big Tim by three lengths. Three-year-old filly pacer Cabana Fever, who finished third in divisional voting last year, finished third. Cabana Fever, who earned more than $359,000 last year, has made just six starts in 2007.

Lis Mara’s quarter stations were reached in :29, :57.1 and 1:25.3, before the 5-year-old son of Cambest motored home in :26.2 to seal the victory. It was the first time Palone had sat behind Lis Mara, who has earned nearly $1 million this season, a bankroll bolstered by victories in the finals of the Canadian Pacing Derby and Graduate.

Trained by Erv Miller, Lis Mara has a 14-8-2-1 slate in 2007. Amazingly, Lis Mara has paced in 1:49.4 or better in all 13 of his starts that came at the standard one-mile distance. The pacer is owned by Andy Willinger and the MJG Racing Stables.

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