by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA

Speed thrills, so there should be plenty of reason for fans to get excited Saturday at Balmoral Park in Crete, Illinois. That’s when Holborn Hanover, who paced the fastest race mile in harness racing history earlier this month, will meet three more of the quickest older pacers of the season in the $250,000 American-National final.

Holborn Hanover, the 2004 Meadowlands Pace champ, sent a message to his foes by winning the American-National elimination race in 1:48.1, a track record for older geldings, on August 19. Maltese Artist and Ponder finished in a dead heat for second. Lis Mara, the richest older pacer this year and winner of five consecutive races, received a bye into the final.

Lis Mara (1:47.3), Ponder (1:48.1) and Leading X Ample (1:48.2), who was fifth in the American-National elim, join Holborn Hanover in owning four of the seven fastest miles of the season. In addition, Maltese Artist last year paced the fastest-ever time on a five-eighths-of-a-mile track.

The elimination win for Holborn Hanover came in his first start since his record-breaking performance in a division of the U.S. Pacing Championship on August 5 at the Meadowlands, which like Balmoral Park is a mile oval.

“I was actually a bit concerned coming into this race after such a big mile last time out,” driver George Brennan said. “The fact that he had missed a week and had the long ship to Illinois also worried me a little. I was really happy with the trip we were getting. I wanted to be as easy as I could on him coming off that last race.”

Holborn Hanover has won three of his last four races, all with Brennan at the lines. His only setback was a second-place finish to Lis Mara in the $500,000 Breeders Crown on July 29 at the Meadowlands. He has won 19 of 78 lifetime starts and earned $1.6 million, and seems to connect well with Brennan, hitting the board 18 of 26 times, including nine wins.

Lis Mara, who has earned $799,012 to lead all older horses this season, has won six of seven starts since joining the Ervin Miller Stable in June. In addition to the Breeders Crown, he won the $830,370 Canadian Pacing Derby. His most recent race was August 12 at Balmoral, winning in 1:48.1.

“He acts good,” Miller said. “It was OK to have last week off from racing; that was in my plans. That’s why I started the week before, I kind of anticipated not having to start in the eliminations. He’s going to have to go some to beat those horses. If he’s healthy, he’s got as fair a shot as anyone.”

A win by Lis Mara could give him a leg up on the competition for Older Pacer of the Year. Among the American-National winners to earn that honor have been Gallo Blue Chip (2001), Staying Together (1993) and Artsplace (1992).

“Yeah, I think we’ve got a shot at it,” Miller said. “If we can beat Holborn, we’ve got a good shot at it. But the horse racing game is such a tough game; it can change real easy at that level. There are so many good older pacers, if one gets pretty good they can be the one to beat.”

Below is the field in alphabetical order for Saturday’s $250,000 American-National for older pacers at Balmoral Park in Crete, Illinois. Listed drivers and trainers are from the horses most recent races.