Macs Marvel won the $20,205 Open Handicap Pace on the Tuesday, June 10 harness racing card at Running Aces.
The public honed in on Macs Marvel as their top choice at just over even-money from post one while War Machine, who was a last out winner in the Open was sent off as the 9-5 second choice from post six.
War Machine was sent hard from the gate by driver Dean Magee and won the early battle for the lead, relegating fellow leaver Dont Judge A Book (Billy Mann) to the pocket while Alilthundadownunda (Nick Roland) secured the third spot early through the :27.1 opening stanza.
Luke Plano tipped Macs Marvel out from fourth just after the :56 half-mile clocking and quickly drew alongside the leader as they paced down the backside, with both Bettors Donttell (Gerry Longo) and Sign Of The Times (Mooney Svendsen) both trying the outer flow.
War Machine posted a third panel in :27.4 to maintain control but was under heavy pressure from Macs Marvel as they rounded for the stretch. Through the lane, Macs Marvel gained the lead and charged strongly to the finish to win by 1-1/4 lengths while Alilthundadownunda closed ground late and picked up second over War Machine in the 1:52.2 mile.
Macs Marvel, a six-year-old son of Captaintreacherous out of the millionaire mare Michelles Power, is owned by New Jerseys' Friendship Stables and trained by Maria Alvarez for the Williams Hernandez stable. Macs Marvel now has five wins this season from 17 starts and 24 career wins with earnings topping the $350,000 mark.
Plano led the night with three driving wins as well as a training double while Rick Magee and Brady Jenson each had driving doubles, and Jenson and Maria Alvarez also had training doubles.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Thursday, June 12 with an 11-race program that will get underway at 6 p.m. (CDT) and will include a pair of carryovers: $3,873.92 in the 50-cent Hi-5 in race four, which also has an estimated pool of $15,000, and $5,035.01 in the 20-cent Pick-5, which will start in race seven. The late Pick-4, which starts in race eight, is guaranteed at $3,000.
(With files from Running Aces)