from Meadowlands Media Relations

East Rutherford, NJ – The Quiet Mon and Wearable Art easily won their eliminations for the $225,000 Berry’s Creek on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

The first major stakes race of the season for 3-year-old colt pacers, the Berry’s Creek will be contested next Saturday, May 5.

In the first $25,000 elimination, race two, The Quiet Mon [$3.20, $2.20, $2.10] and driver Andy Miller took command before the half and pulled away to a 3-1/2 length win over Cue The Paige [$3.00, $2.10] in 1:50.4. Home Bed Advantage [$2.10] held on for third, after being asked to come first up.

Trained by John Butenschoen, The Quiet Mon is now three-for-three this season. At 2, the son of Richess Hanover won seven of nine starts and banked $215,100. The Illionois-bred is owned by Butenschoen, Ed Bardowski of Royersfield, Pennsylvania, Sandra Zilli of Delafield, Wisconsin and Larry Baron of Horsham, Pennsylvania.

“[Next week] it might be a little tougher, but he did it pretty handily tonight,” said winning driver Andy Miller. “He was just coasting along. John’s done a great job managing him. He’s getting pretty sharp right now. Last week was his first week here. He got more acclimated this week and just coasted around.”

Also advancing to the final were No Perfect Escape and Pop Z Pop.

Lisa Photo

Wearable Art breezed to a 1-3/4 length win in the second elimination.

In the second elimination, race three, Wearable Art [$4.20, $2.20, $2.40] breezed to a 1-3/4 length win over Matt’s Scooter Series champ Spin Rate [$3.00, $2.40] in 1:50.3. Fresh Deck [$3.20] was third.

Driven by Ron Pierce, Wearable Art posted his first win in three starts this season. As a freshman, the son of Artiscape captured two legs of the New Jersey Sire Stakes and finished second to divisional champion Artzina in the $175,000 NJSS final.

Isaac Newton and Artist’s View also advanced to the Berry’s Creek Final.

The Berry’s Creek elim winners earned the right to select their post positions for next week’s final. Kleinhans and Pierce chose post two for Wearable Art, while Butenschoen and Miller opted to start The Quiet Mon from post three.

LIS MARA STOPS TELETIMER AT 1:48.2 IN 2007 DEBUT

Lis Mara, the 2006 Older Pacer of the Year, made a scorching 2007 debut with a 1:48.2 victory in the $42,000 open on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Steered by Brian Sears, Lis Mara came first up and easily wore down the pacesetter Nemesis for a ½ length win in the evening’s sixth race.

The son of Cambest moved into trainer Erv Miller’s barn in 2006 and ended the season with a record of 10 wins, five seconds and one third in 17 starts, for earnings of $967,495. Owned by MJG Racing Stable and Louis Willinger, Lis Mara has a career bankroll of $1.1 million.