Hinsdale, IL — Most of the time when someone does a favor for someone else, the usual reply is a thank you. However, there are instances when the response is totally unexpected and much more than just thanks.

That was the case for Illinois Hall of Fame trainer Jim Eaton who recently welcomed the newest addition to his barn. She’s Marvelous Marshia, the 7-5 morning line favorite in Friday night’s $11,100 Hawthorne Open for filly and mare pacers.

“The last night of the Hoosier meet I had a couple of horses in and Marvelous Marshia raced there for the De Longs. They asked me if I would also van their 4-year-old mare Marvelous Marshia back with me to Illinois and I said I would.

“Later I got a text from them saying why don’t you just put her in your barn and race her in Illinois. I gladly accepted their offer, knowing she’s a very good mare and had a terrific season as a 3-year-old.”

Marvelous Marshia (inside) and Bombay Parkway, the one-two finishers in last week’s Hawthorne distaff Open, square off again Friday night. Four Footed Fotos.

In 2022, Marvelous Marshia was one of the top Indiana bred pacing mares when she raced under the care of former Illinois based trainer Roger Welch, winning seven of 15 starts, mostly in the rugged Indiana Sire Stakes, and amassed $188,660 for owners William C. De Long and William P. De Long.

The Always A Virgin mare, out of the Sportsmaster broodmare Honey’s Luck, won four Indiana Sire Stake legs and was a close-up third in Hoosier Park’s $270,000 Super Final, beaten only by a neck while pacing in 1:51.1. Earlier that summer she took her mark of 1:50.1 on the Indiana racetrack.

Marvelous Marshia didn’t begin her 2023 season until September. A month later Tabatha De Long took over her training duties.

Marvelous Marshia was an impressive winner in her first start for Eaton a week ago in a Hawthorne Open with Todd Warren at her lines. The mare was handicapped with the outside seven slot but easily overcame it with a first-over, three-wide winning move, pacing the mile in 1:53.1.

Friday night she was again allocated the outside post by the Hawthorne Racing Office but since there are only five starters, it shouldn’t be much of a deterrent.

“She’s a nice horse to be around,” said Eaton. “She’s a big filly. I mean really big. She got around Hawthorne just fine. I’m very happy to have her in my barn.”

Taking on Marvelous Marshia are Roan By Design (Travis Seekman), Stormy Serena (Brandon Bates), Kizzzmelikeumissme (Kyle Wilfong) and the late rushing Bombay Parkway (Casey Leonard), in that order.

The newcomer in the field is the 3-year-old Ohio bred filly Stormy Serena, now trained by her co-proprietor Mark P’Pool who shares ownership with Dolne Farm Services, one of the breeders of the Fear The Dragon Filly.

Stormy Serena spent the year competing in Ohio Sire Stakes and in early September captured the $100,000 Ohio Sire Stake Consolation at Scioto Downs for trainer Melanie Wrenn. The filly hasn’t raced since going unplaced in a division of Hoosier’s Park’s Pegasus stakes on Oct. 27.

However, the talented filly qualified at Hawthorne 12 days ago in 1:56.2, crushing that field by more than a dozen lengths. Her TrackMaster Rating of 89.72 is tops among the Open field horses. Marvelous Marshia is next at 85.89.