by Don Bielak, for Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack

Chester, PA — A pair of favorites — Taylor, Gold, Basen and Fuller’s Buck I St Pat and Sam Bowie’s Before He Cheats — captured their respective $40,000 eliminations for the Maxie Lee Memorial at Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack on Sunday, May 18. The rich $250,000 final will be contested on Sunday, May 25.

In the first elimination, Buck I St Pat, with Tim Tetrick in the bike, drew clear through the stretch to score a 1-1/4 length tally in 1:53.1, which equaled the track record for older trotting mares, originally set by Wildfire Julie on May 5. The 5-year-old Jailhouse Jesse mare, who is conditioned by Mickey Burke, recorded her seventh victory of the season in nine outings and returned $3.00 as the 1-2 choice in the wagering. Two Weeks Notice, Beach Nut Brand, and Cayenne Turbo also qualified for the final.

Elimination two saw Tetrick guide Before He Cheats to a confident 1-1/2 length score in 1:54.3. Sent postward as the prohibitive 1-9 favorite, the Dirk Simpson trainee paid a win mutuel of $2.20. Before He Cheats, a 4-year-old gelded son of Valley Victor, notched his third win of the season in four starts. Also making the final from the second elimination were Queen Serene, American Lane, and Man About Town.