by Matt Sparacino, publicity director, Harrington Raceway

Harrington, DE — The richest race in Harrington Raceway’s 64-year history will take place Monday (Sept. 20) as a group of the sport’s elite older pacers will do battle in the $354,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial.

Won The West (7-2, David Miller) will attempt to become the first repeat winner of the Quillen, after winning last year’s event over Foiled Again (2-1, Yannick Gingras), who is also entered in the 2010 edition. Both horses are trained by Ron Burke.

Won The West, owned by Strollin Stable, William Robinson and James Koehler, is the sport’s richest older pacer in 2010 with $921,240 in the bank and more than $3 million in his illustrious career.

Fotowon photo

Track record holder Foiled Again is favored in the Quillen Memorial.

Meanwhile, stablemate Foiled Again, who is owned by Weaver Bruscemi, Burke Racing and JJK Stables, set a track record in his elimination with a 1:50.3 triumph.

Trainer Kevin McDermott has two entrants in this year’s event for owner Francis Azur, including the sport’s fastest pacer, Hypnotic Blue Chip (3-1, Jody Jamieson). The 4-year-old Art Major stallion set his sizzling 1:47.2 mark at the Meadowlands earlier in the year in the U.S. Pacing Championship and earned his berth in the Quillen final with a 1:51.3 win in his elimination. He is joined by entrymate Blueridge Western, who was third last week to Foiled Again.

The field also includes local horses Solano (6-1, Corey Callahan) for owners Johnny Waite and Wade and Kathleen Wyatt and Mr Wiggles (10-1, Andy Miller) for Elmer Fannin and George Teague, Jr.

John Fielding and David McDuffee’s Clear Vision (4-1, Ron Pierce) was second in his elimination and Kevin Reynolds’ Pangiorno (8-1, Brian Sears) will round out the elite group of pacers who collectively have won more than $9 million lifetime.

The race is named in honor of the late Delaware legislator Bobby Quillen, who was also a Harrington Raceway and Delaware State Fair board member. Qullen was popular among the horsemen’s community and was known to have their interests at heart throughout his longtime legislative career.