A World Record-equaling clocking of 1:48 is what it took for Mister Big to knock off race favourite Art Official in Sunday’s $500,000 final of the Ben Franklin at Harrah’s Chester Racetrack
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Mister Big, who was the runner-up to Artistic Fella in last year’s Ben Franklin, survived a first-over trip for driver Brian Sears en route to matching the World Record set by that pacer in last year’s second edition of the event.
Art Official established the early lead for driver Ron Pierce, who was prompted to the quarter pole in :25.3 by Foiled Again and teamster Yannick Gingras. Mister Big, in the meantime, tucked into the three-hole. Art Official, who stole a second quarter breather in :28.4, had the field at the mid-way point in :54.1. Mister Big had tipped to the outside in front of the grandstand to begin his assault on the leader.
Art Official and Mister Big locked horns in a third quarter battle, which produced :26.3 speed. There wasn’t much separation between the two pacers as the zipped by the three-quarter pole in 1:20.4, and it was no different by the time they reached the top of the stretch. Mister Big eventually edged away from Art Official in deep stretch, and he went on to take the checkered flag in 1:48.
Art Official stayed on gamely to grab the runner-up award while Foiled Again crossed the line in third position. The judges, however, placed Foiled Again back to fifth for causing interference at the top of the stretch to Bettor Sweet and John Campbell. As a result, fourth-place finisher Won The West and driver David Miller were promoted to third and fifth-place finisher Bettor Sweet was bumped up to the fourth spot.
“I’m very happy to win the race and Mister Big certainly deserves it,” said driver Brian Sears. “Ronnie [Ron Pierce driving Art Official] had to use his horse pretty hard in the first quarter, and I didn’t have any traffic trouble. I didn’t really want to be in the two-hole and first up was a good spot. When I came first over we went the third quarter in :26.3 and he felt good doing it. He felt super, so I felt pretty good. The one thing about him is you don’t want to the get to the front too early with him, he kind of thinks its over when you get to the front. He felt real good and I gave him his head a little bit at the head of the lane, and he opened up a little bit and I was comfortable.”
Joe Muscara of Huntingdon Valley, PA holds the papers on the six-year-old son of Grinfromeartoear-Worlds Sweetheart, who has put together a 3-1-2 record in his first six starts of the season. The 32-time winner has banked $470,510 this campaign, while his lifetime earnings climbed to $3,824,290.
The sub-1:50 clocking was the thirteenth in Mister Big’s career. Only Lis Mara (16) and Admirals Express (14) own more sub-1:50 victories than Mister Big, who will take up residence at Tara Hills Stud Farm of Port Perry, ON once his six-year-old campaign is completed.