Robert Cooper Stables and J&T Silva Stables’ Mel Mara had an auspicious Harrington Raceway debut in his prep for next week’s $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial with a 1:50.1 win, while breaking a track record in the featured $15,000 Open Monday.

The seven-year-old Lis Mara stallion and driver Corey Callahan never had an anxious moment in his front-end score from post position five for trainer Dylan Davis. Little Ben and Handsome Henry K rounded out the trifecta. Mel Mara paid $2.20 to win.

Mel Mara has banked more than $171,000 this year and nearly $630,000 in his career. He has campaigned against many of the sport’s top pacers this season and took a career best of 1:47 earlier in the year at the Meadowlands. The 1:50.1 time established a new track record for aged pacing stallions, which was formerly held by Getitoffyourchest, who set the mark earlier this year on June 20.

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For the second straight start, Carrie Malone and Amanda Malone’s Nuclear Dragon ($5.40, Jon Roberts) recorded a new lifetime mark with a sparkling 1:52 score in a $9,000 conditioned pace for trainer Brian Malone.

The draw for 10th annual Bobby Quillen Memorial is Tuesday September 13.

(Harrington Raceway)