by Matt Sparacino, publicity director, Harrington Raceway

Harrington, DE — Strollin Stable, William Robinson and James Koehler’s Won The West (2-1, David Miller) begins his quest for a repeat of the Bobby Quillen Memorial final tonight at Harrington Raceway as 15 of harness racing’s heavyweights among the older pacing division compete in two $30,000 eliminations.

The top four finishers from both divisions will return to compete in the September 20, $354,000 (est.) final.

The Ron Burke-trained Won The West outlasted Foiled Again to win the 2009 Quillen. The 6-year-old Western Hanover gelding will start from the pole and is poised to become harness racing’s top money earning older pacer this season as he currently trails Shark Gesture by just more than $5,000.

The road to a Quillen repeat won’t likely come easy however as the sport’s fastest horse, Francis Azur’s Hypnotic Blue Chip (5-2, Jody Jamieson) is among the rivals looking to derail Won The West’s repeat bid. The Kevin McDermott-trained Hypnotic Blue Chip was the Quillen’s first ever supplement ($25,000) and drew post three in the same division as last year’s champ.

Post time is 5:30 p.m. The Quillen elims will be contested sixth and eighth on the 15-race program. The Harrington Pick Four consists of races 3 through 6 and will be capped by the first Quillen elimination.

Here’s a look at this year’s Quillen eliminations:

Sixth Race–Harrington Raceway-Purse $30,000
1 – Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras, 5-2)
1A – Atochia (Andy Miller, 5-2)
2 – Solano (Corey Callahan, 8-1)
3 – Blueridge Western (Jody Jamieson, 3-1)
4 – Clear Vision (David Miller, 9-2)
5 – Psiluvuheartbreaker (Ross Wolfenden, 8-1)
6 – Jeremy’s Successor (Anthony Morgan, 6-1)
7 – Vintage Master (Daniel Dube, 4-1)

Eighth Race–Harrington Raceway-Purse $30,000
1 – Won The West (David Miller, 2-1)
2 – Mr Wiggles (Andy Miller, 5-1)
3 – Hypnotic Blue Chip (Jody Jamieson, 5-2)
4 – Pangiorno (Corey Callahan, 4-1)
5 – Vertical Horizon (Anthony Morgan, 6-1)
6 – Poker Hat (Daniel Dube 9-2)
7 – McCedes (Yannick Gingras, 8-1)