Father Patrick takes Maxie Lee Memorial at Harrah's

Trainer Jimmy Takter has seen his share of great trotters over the years and he thinks Father Patrick is among them.

The 4-year-old Father Patrick, who was a division champion at ages 2 and 3, made his 4-year-old debut a winning one Sunday by capturing the $150,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational for older trotters by two lengths over Bee A Magician in 1:52.1 at Harrah's Philadelphia. Lindy's Tru Grit finished third.

Father Patrick's time equaled the track record for a 4-year-old male trotter.

"If everything stays perfect I think he's going to be very dominant," said Takter, whose past stars include Horse of the Year winners Moni Maker and Malabar Man. "I really do. I've been around greatness, and I think he's going to be a horse people talk about for many, many years."

Father Patrick has won 23 of 29 career races and earned $2.51 million for the Father Patrick Stable ownership group.

Takter also visited the winner's circle after the inaugural $150,000 Jerry Taylor Invitational for older male pacers, which was won by his Great Vintage by three-quarters of a length over Dancin Yankee in 1:50.2. Mach It So finished third. Takter trains Great Vintage for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, Goran Anderberg and Goran Falk.

Radar Contact won the $150,000 Betsy Ross Invitational for older female pacers by a neck over Anndrovette, who won last year's race. Ooh Bad Shark was third. Radar Contact is trained by Noel Daley for owners Charles Stillings and Dean Ehrgott.

The Maxie Lee field featured a deep group of trotters, including 2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician as well as division champions Classic Martine and Market Share, who won last year's edition of the event.

Father Patrick and Bee A Magician were among four horses to go for the lead on the first turn and Father Patrick got to the front before the group neared the second turn. Bee A Magician tried to launch a challenge from second place coming off the final turn, but Father Patrick yielded no ground.

"He did it so easy too," winning driver Yannick Gingras said. "The earplugs are still in; I never really called on him. I let him trot the last eighth [of a mile].

"Bee A Magician got the right trip, but with those kinds of fractions maybe I got a little bit of a jump on her. But she's a great horse and I was definitely worried around the turn when she pulled because I knew she would give me a run. But he just showed what kind of horse he is."

Father Patrick paid $4.80 to win as the second choice to favorite Bee A Magician.

Great Vintage paid $10.60 to win in the Jerry Taylor and Radar Contact paid $9.00 to win in the Betsy Ross.