East Rutherford, NJ - A very
accomplished field of seven fast class pacers will face the starting gate in
Saturday night's featured seventh race, a $20,000 Preferred pace.
Despite a career that has seen him
earn over $700,000 and share a world record with his 1:47 mark taken last
year, morning line favorite Mel Mara remains an enigma. He flaunted
remarkable speed early on as a two-year-old and prodigious
possibilities loomed on the horizon. Despite some flashes of brilliance
and moderate stakes success, that promise would go largely
unfulfilled.
Mel Mara's racing career was beset
by injuries that have at times cost him entire seasons, likely career
enders for many, but not him. The now eight-year-old
stallion still has the speed and determination to be
competitive at the highest level, leaving us to wonder what might have been.
After more than five months away
from racing, Mel Mara was a gritty 1:49.1 winner in his seasonal debut at
Harrah's on Sunday after leading all the way for driver Corey Callahan. The
pair will start from post two for trainer Dylan Davis and owners Robert Cooper
and J&T Silva.
Stiff
competition begins to Mel Mara's immediate right as Delta Winner
lines up in post three. The 2015 Cane Pace winner is off to a
good start to his 2017 campaign, a 1:50.2 winner followed by a narrow loss in
1:49 in his pair of appearances this season.
Clear Vision is the horse that won
the 1:49 race mentioned above and the career winner of more than $2.6 million
is back from post four after a trip to Canada for the Molson stakes last
Friday.
The remaining four are Down-Under
imports, the most renowned of which is the $2 million winning Christen Me N (PP
#7) who is making his third start state-side. He also raced last at Harrah's
Philly, batting the best first over and living to tell of it in the Stafford
Memorial on Sunday.
There are a dozen pari-mutuel
puzzlers on the docket for Saturday night with plenty of opportunity to
fashion that big score.
Saturday marks the return of
the JerseyFest Food Truck Mash Up and BeerFest so
bring your appetite.
Post time is 7:15 pm.
