Marauder, who upset overwhelming favorite Nihilator in...

Marauder, who upset overwhelming favorite Nihilator in the first heat, was awarded a walkover victory in the $242,400 Adios Pace at Meadow Lands, Pa., after Nihilator, who came back to win the second heat, was scratched from the race-off.

Nihilator’s owners said they did not like the way their syndicated $19-million colt ran the first heat--suffering what was just the second defeat of his 24-start, two-year career--and almost scratched him before the second heat. They said they feared a third race might take too much out of Nihilator, who raced two world-record mile paces at the Meadowlands, July 12 and Aug. 3.

Dick Richardson Jr. drove Marauder, a 16-1 shot, to first place in the first heat in 1:52 1/5, breaking the world record for 3-year-old pacers on a 5/8-mile track.

In the second heat, Nihilator, driven by Bill O’Donnell, broke better from the fourth post position and won in 1:52 2/5.