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

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

  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 Marsha, the 7-5 morning line favorite in Sunday 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 Marsha raced there for the De Long’s. They asked me if I would also van their 4-year-old mare Marvelous Mystery 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 three-year-old.”

  In 2022, Marvelous Mystery was one of the top Indiana bred pacing mares when she raced under the care of former Illinois based trainer Roger Welch, winning 7 of 15 starts, mostly in the rugged Indiana sire stakes, and amassed $188,660 for owners William C De Long (Clinton, Wisconsin) and William P. De Long.

 The Always A Virgin mare, out of the Sportsmaster broodmare Honey’s Luck, won two $50,000 Indiana Sire stake legs and was a close-up third in Hoosier Park’s $270,000 Super Sires Stake championship, 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 Marsha didn’t begin her 2023 season until September. A month later Tabatha De Long took over her training duties.

 Marvelous Mystery 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 handclapped 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 Racine 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 Marsha tonight 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 Storm Serena, now trained by her co- proprietor Mark P’oole of Anderson, Indiana who shares ownership with Dolna Farm Servies of Indianapolis, one of the breeders of the Fear The Dragon Filly.

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

  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 tonight’s Open field horses. Marvelous Marsha is next at 85.89.