Robert Cooper Stables and J&T Silva Stables' Mel Mara had an auspicious Harrington Raceway debut in his prep for next week's $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial with a 1:50.1 win, while breaking a track record in the featured $15,000 Open Monday.
The seven-year-old Lis Mara stallion and driver Corey Callahan never had an anxious moment in his front-end score from post position five for trainer Dylan Davis. Little Ben and Handsome Henry K rounded out the trifecta. Mel Mara paid $2.20 to win.
Mel Mara has banked more than $171,000 this year and nearly $630,000 in his career. He has campaigned against many of the sport's top pacers this season and took a career best of 1:47 earlier in the year at the Meadowlands. The 1:50.1 time established a new track record for aged pacing stallions, which was formerly held by Getitoffyourchest, who set the mark earlier this year on June 20.
For the second straight start, Carrie Malone and Amanda Malone's Nuclear Dragon ($5.40, Jon Roberts) recorded a new lifetime mark with a sparkling 1:52 score in a $9,000 conditioned pace for trainer Brian Malone.
The draw for 10th annual Bobby Quillen Memorial is Tuesday, September 13.
(Harrington Raceway)