by Matt Sparacino, publicity director, Harrington Raceway

Harrington, DE — A total of 15 of the sport’s top older pacers will do battle in the fourth annual Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway, with two eliminations set for Monday, September 13.

Francis Azur’s Hypnotic Blue Chip is the first ever supplement to the Quillen, paying the $25,000 fee to gain eligibility to the race.

“Once again we’ve had a great response from the ranks of the free-for-all community,” said Harrington Raceway race secretary Mick Myers. “With the addition of the supplement of Hypnotic Blue Chip, this year’s entries represent the best of the best.”

Fotowon photo

Won The West (#5) edged Foiled Again by a head in the 2009 Quillen.

The 2009 reigning champ, Strollin Stable, Bill Robinson and James Koehler’s Won The West (David Miller) is back to defend his title and drew the coveted rail in the second $30,000 elimination for trainer Ron Burke, who has four horses in this year’s Quillen. The top four finishers from the two eliminations will return to compete in the $354,000 final on September 20.

Kevin McDermott trains two entrants, including the sport’s fastest pacer, the aforementioned Hypnotic Blue Chip, who won a U.S. Pacing Championship division at the Meadowlands in a season’s best 1:47.2 on August 7. He will start from post three in the same division as Won The West as they will be joined by top older pacers such as Elmer Fannin and George Teague, Jr.’s Mr Wiggles (5-1, Andy Miller), Kevin Reynolds’ Pangiorno (4-1, Corey Callahan), Bulletproof Enterprises’ Vertical Horizon (6-1, Tony Morgan), Richard Lombardo and Howard Taylor’s Poker Hat (9-2, Daniel Dube) and Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, JJK Stables and James Koran’s McCedes (8-1, Yannick Gingras).

A Ron Burke-trained/owned entry heads the first elimination as Foiled Again (5-2, Yannick Gingras) and Atochia (5-2, Andy Miller) were installed as the morning line choices for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables. Foiled Again finished second in last year’s final to Won The West.

The field includes three additional millionaires including another Azur-owned/McDermott-trained horse in Blueridge Western (3-1, Jody Jamieson), Brittany Farms and the estate of Brian Monieson’s Vintage Master (4-1, Dube) and Frank Bellino’s Psiluvuheartbreaker (8-1, Ross Wolfenden).

There will be local representation in Johnny Waite and Wade and Kathleen Wyatt’s Solano (8-1, Callahan), who is a five-time winner this year at Harrington, while John Fielding and David McDuffee’s Clear Vision (9-2, David Miller) and Andrea Hill’s Jeremy’s Successor (6-1, Tony Morgan) fulfill the field.

The event is named in honor of late Delaware legislator and Harrington Raceway board member Bobby Quillen, who passed away in 2004. Quillen was an avid supporter of harness racing and a popular figure around the racetrack who always looked out for Delaware horsemen.