from the Iowa Harness Horse Association

Humboldt, IA — Iowa’s best 3-year-old trotters took to the track on the final day of racing in the 2018 season. The top Iowa-registered horses competed in the Iowa Fairs racing championships on Sunday (Sept. 23). The fields were comprised of the top five Iowa-registered divisional points earners of 2018 with points accumulated over nine races in Iowa throughout the summer.

Photo courtesy of Iowa Harness Horse Association

Tough as nails ImaJuggernaut remains undefeated in Iowa.

The Glenn & Lorraine Jenson Memorial Trot for 3-year-old fillies was Ima Juggernaut’s to lose. The Lou’s Legacy filly is the only horse of the 395 Iowa-registered 2-and 3-year-olds of any gait or sex that came into Sunday’s final undefeated in Iowa-Registered company. Trained by Mark Mintun, Ima Juggernaut was last year’s 2017 trotting filly champion and will repeat the title in 2018.

Three of the five top Iowa-registered trotting fillies are by Lou’s Legacy. The small yet powerful fillies have have made a name for the Illinois stud in Iowa racing circles. Joining Ima Juggernaut were Can’t Match This and Princess Legacy. The other entries were both by Iowa sires – Lo All America by American Native and Windy Sue by Southwind Elian.

Mintun drove Ima Juggernaut in another wire-to-wire win, leading the pack to the quarter in 29, the half in :59.1, the three-quarters in 1:29.1, and jogging home in 2:02. She was never challenged, finishing over four lengths ahead of Lo All America and third place finisher Princess Legacy.

Ima Juggernaut is out of the Pegasus Spur mare Shinin Pearl and bred by Dr. Patrick Graham. Her win increased her 2018 earnings to $33,150 and she went eleven for eleven in her Iowa starts for owners Mintun and Stephanie Gould.

The $12,000 Terwilliger Family Trot for 3-year-old colts and geldings included only two horses that posted wins in Iowa-registered company in 2018. The only time either Scramble Camp or Hotrod Richard finished anything but first was when the other won the race.

Both coming off wins in separate divisions last week, Scramble Camp in 2:03 and Hotrod Richard in 2:03.2, the crowd was ready for a battle. Hotrod Richard drew the rail and Scramble Camp drew the outside in the five horse field. Pond Jumper, SVF Cash Deposit and Some More Prince separated the season leaders.

Will Roland let Hotrod Richard take advantage of his post position and sped off the gate hugging the rail. A parked Scramble Camp worked his way up to second at the quarter and was on the move, only a nose off the lead at the half in 1:01.3. Hotrod Richard felt the pressure and turned up the heat hitting the three-quarter pole in 1:30.4 with Scramble Camp still parked to the outside.

Again showcasing his grit, Hotrod Richard pulled away and led by one and a half lengths into the head of the stretch with horses fanned three wide behind him. Grinding to the finish, Hotrod Richard held off a late charge by Pond Jumper to win by a neck in 2:02. Some More Prince got up for third.

Hotrod Richard is by American Native out of Red Brandy, a Branded mare, and was bred and raised by Gail Morris. The win increased his lifetime earnings to $50,415 for owners Rick & CD Huffman, Larry Mather and Jeri Roland.

Iowa’s highest performing 3-year-old pacers also had their final go-around of the 2018 season at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds. The top Iowa-Registered horses competed in the Iowa Fairs Racing Championships on Sunday (Sept. 23). The fields were comprised of the top five Iowa-Registered divisional points earners of 2018 with points accumulated over nine races in Iowa throughout the summer.

The much antipated Pete Mouw Memorial Pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings pitted SB Angelindisguise and Minnie Vinnie together for the final time on the Iowa circuit. Minnie Vinnie left Iowa racing for a few starts, taking second in the Art Rooney Pace then posting an impressive third in the Carl Milstein Pace in 1:50.4 on the half-mile oval at Northfield.

SB Angelindisguise won seven of his nine Iowa-Registered starts and finished ahead of Minnie Vinnie in eight of nine starts. SB Angelindisguise also holds the fastest Iowa mile of 2018, matching the What Cheer track record in a 1:56 mile. Both geldings are by Iowa sires — Minnie Vinnie is from the first crop of Millionaire Cam and SB Angelindisguise is by Sneaky B Skipalong.

SB Angelindisguise and Minnie Vinnie drew post positions three and four, with Marc Mellow Man and R Bazingga on the inside and Dakota Ole on the outside. Driver Will Roland and Minnie Vinnie took control off the gate with SB Angelindisguise, parked until tucking in the pocket before the pair reached the quarter in a blistering :27.4.

SB Angelindisguise and driver Mark Mintun let Minnie Vinnie cut the mile to the half in :56.3, then the three-quarters in 1:26. Mintun tipped SB Angellindisguise to the outside and gained ground on the turn, leading by a head at the top of the stretch. The pair battled down the stretch and Minnie Vinnie pulled ahead again, but the grueling early fractions were too much and SB Angelindisguise nipped him at the wire in 1:56.4.

SB Angelindisguise is out of the Presidential Ball mare Angel Falls. He was bred and raised by Deborah Hofsaess of Decorah, Iowa. The winning gelding increased his 2018 earnings to $41,146 for owners Mintun, Stephanie Gould and Bigshow Racing Stable. SB Angelindisguise will head out east to race in a series with Bigshow Racing Stable.

The Duke Edge Memorial Pace for 3-year-old pacing fillies had some heavy contenders as well. I’m On A Terror had just come off a win followed by second place finisher Lippy Doo in the Minnesota Bred finals held at Running Aces one week ago. Sneakydon’tfailme, the Iowa Sires Stakes champion, had won her division of the 3-year-old filly pace last week as had J J Muffet, posting a new lifetime mark of 1:58, 2018’s fastest 3-year-old filly pace. The field was rounded out by Red N Hotallover who had also seen the winner’s circle in Iowa-Registered racing this year.

Driver Scott Smith pushed J J Muffet to the early lead but was soon overtaken by I’m On A Terror who led the field to the quarter in :29. Lippy Doo pulled from the back of the pack going into the first stretch run and passed the half parked in third behind J J Muffet and leader I’m On A Terror in 1:01.3.

I’m On A Terror continued to lead at the three-quarters in 1:32.4 with Lippy Doo still parked but now in second and steadily gaining ground. J J Muffet couldn’t sit any longer and popped out three wide to challenge the leaders. I’m On A Terror led by a nose at the top of the stretch and Lippy Doo edged to the front before the wire, but it was J J Muffet in a final surge on the outside that beat the field by a nose in 2:02.3 in the three horse photo for the win.

J J Muffet increased her lifetime earnings to $39,487 for owner and breeder Bernard Nanke. Trained by Scott Smith, the Iowa-sired Relentless Yankee filly is out of Phone Wish, an Armbro Khaki mare. Nanke plans to turn the filly out for a few months of rest then keep her as a broodmare for next year.