Mercury Ties Los Alamitos Record

Marc Aubin’s Mercury got a perfect trip behind favored Vance Lobell and went on to win the $11,000 Invitational Pace Saturday night at Los Alamitos in a track record tying time of 1:53 2/5.

Mercury floated out of the gate, but took the lead after the quarter. Ross Croghan brought Vance Lobell off the rail and powered to the lead before the half-mile marker. Vance Lobell hit three-quarter mark in 1:25 3/5, before Aubin decided to bring Mercury out and it was a two-horse race the rest of the mile.

Aubin drew even with the leader at the top of the stretch and pulled away down the backstretch. Mercury, a 7-2 shot, paid $9.20 to win. Storm Prince was third 5 3/4 lengths back.

Mercury’s time equaled the record held by Half Nip and Kalparrin, both in 1986.