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New track record set; lucrative late-closing finals on tap |
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Thursday, 01 May 2008 |
Only Choice lowered his own track record at Running Aces Harness Park Saturday night, despite the fact he had a new trainer and driver this week.
The eight-year-old Cole Muffler gelding was transferred from trainer-driver Jenni King to the Wisconsin partnership of William and Gerald McIntyre, who turned conditioning and reining the pacing star of the three-week old meet over to Duane Miller. His 1:56.1 mile eclipsed his own standard by two-fifths of a second and pushed his career earnings very near the $300,000 benchmark. Expresso Forte was just a nose behind with Smoke N Nuke third.
On the trotting side, Photo Dream continued his total domination of the Minnesota squaregaiters set by winning his fourth race in three weeks, this time in 2:01.3 on Monday night.
The star pupil of the Banks Standardbreds Stable has earned $9000 in Running Aces first month of operation. Adam Hauser was again in the sulky, besting Skinan (King) by a neck and RT Jacknife (Evan Coblentz) by a half-length.
Third and final preliminary legs were raced throughout the weekend in eight late-closing events, setting the stage for the lucrative finals next weekend.
The Queens Up series for N/W 1 fillies and mares looks like a showdown between EQ Three (Brian Detgen), who swept divisions of all three prelims and Aftermath (King), who won the first two weeks but made an uncharacteristic break in stride at the start of her third leg race and finished fourth to the obvious displeasure of a simulcast “bridge jumper” who wagered $4000 to show on the heavy favorite.
Britts, who was one of driver Adam Hauser’s three winners Monday night, captured the same heat and could be a factor in the final as well.
The Trip Queens series for N/W 2 fillies and mares has four serious contenders for top honors in next week’s finale. Double Dash (Detgen), Go Light Your World (John DeLong) and Just Kidding You (Rick Magee) were preliminary leg winners while Maple Street Bon notched a pair of bridesmaid finishes for Darryl Mason.
The Queens Full series final for N/W 4 distaffers got more interesting when Beach Fire (Nick Roland) who had won the first two legs finished third in the third week’s competition. Belle Asch (Jeff Ryan) and Scootonovernkissme (J.D. Perrin) both bested the favorite in a three-horse blanket finish on Sunday afternoon.
Bold Attack (Magee) and Our Second Chance (DeLong) set themselves up as probable favorites in the Kings Up series for green horses and geldings. Each won a division of third leg action Sunday, but River Trouper and Sammorand Jack, who won earlier preliminary leg races may have something to say about the outcome, too.
Mr. Tom Kat (Robert Lems) had close second place finishes in the final two preliminary tests. When the Trip Kings final for male N/W 2 pacers lines up next Saturday night, Saltea’s Sanjay (DeLong) will likely be the public choice following a sweep of the prelims. Daria’s LaBamba (Magee) and Placek (Perrin) are the most likely challengers, while Sammy Kan Kan and More Than A Song have the credentials to compete for the top prize, too.
Mac T’s Diamond (Joey Mapes) and El Gee’s Foggyflyte (King) will finally have to square off after each won divisions of the first three legs of the Kings Full for N/W 4 races. Game On, Redemptions Reward, Alberts Orchard and Three On The Floor all had runnerup finishes and can’t be ignored when the finalists gather Sunday afternoon.
A full field is expected when the $7500 final of the Four Kings series lines up Saturday night with Love Is Amazing (Coblentz) the top candidate, although the top six horses were all within two lengths at the finish of the final preliminary leg.
A single trotting series finale is set for next Monday night with Terrific Triumph (Hauser) and Tricky Game (Duane Miller) expected to duke it out in the Jacks Up championship for N/W 1 at the beginning of the series.
The driving colony at Running Aces is embattled in a very tight dash-winners contest. Nine reinsmen have notched five victories or more during the Inaugural season, topped by Rick Magee and John DeLong with ten apiece. Joey Mapes, Duane Miller and Adam Hauser are deadlocked for third with nine victories each, followed by Jenni King with 8, Brian Detgen with 7, J.D. Perrin with 6 and Evan Coblentz with 5. Craig Banks, a veteran Minnesota reinsman still recovering from an opening weekend spill, is expected to challenge these leaders upon his return to the sulky in early May.
On the training side, Duane Miller is tops with nine scores from his stable. Both Jenni King and Justin Anfinson have conditioned eight winners, while Jesse DeLong, Rick Mapes and Brian Detgen all have seven triumphs. A total of 18 trainers have reached the winners circle at least twice during the first three weeks and a total of 24 conditioners have had horses first across the wire at least once.
The biggest news for Running Aces this past week was the passage of a new simulcasting statute allowing Minnesota’s only harness track to begin simulcasting thoroughbred and quarterhorse signals in addition to harness racing within the next several days, hopefully in time to showcase the Kentucky Derby on Saturday afternoon.
Following 50 racing programs, Minnesota law allows Running Aces to open its already-constructed lavishly appointed casino cardroom, from which the horsemens purse account will derive 14 percent of the profits. The cardroom opening is targeted for approximately July first.
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