Columbus, MN – Minnesota-sired sophomore pacers were featured at Running Aces on Thursday night (June 26) with four divisions going for a total purse of $50,000.
In the $15,000 colts ‘A’ division Swinging On By (Karpathian Kid) posted a career-best mile and went gate-to-wire in 1:53.4 for his second win of the season and his eighth lifetime tally.
Driver Dean Magee wasted no time getting him involved and sent him sharply from the gate from post four, quickly taking command while Blazin For Life (Brady Jenson) secured the pocket from the inside draw and High Country Baby (Billy Mann) got away in third.
The Minnesota Kid (Luke Plano) launched a first-over bid just before the half and Tutto Bene (Scott Cisco) followed the cover. The Minnesota Kid pressured the leader through a :28.1 third panel but Swinging On By ($3.60) kept pacing strong and shrugged off the challenge before drawing clear in the lane by more than seven lengths while longshot Aint No Uppy Man (Rick Magee) rallied from the back to get the place spot over Blazin For Life.
The winner is owned by trainer Brett Ballinger in partnership with Darren Taylor. He now shows career earnings of $108,711.
The other sophomore winners were:
Mele Kalikimaka (Three Of Clubs) with driver Rick Magee in a career best 1:55.1, paying $2.80 in the fillies ‘A’ division.
Santhannah Winds (Wind me Up) with driver Nick Roland in 1:57.4 for her first career win in the $10,000 fillies ‘B’ split, paying $20.40.
Yellowstone Kid (Karpathian Kid) with driver Billy Mann in a career-best 1:57.1 in the $10,000 colt ‘B’ division, returning $12.40.
Drivers Rick Magee, Nick Roland and Luke Plano all had doubles while Plano and Brett Ballinger each had training doubles.
Live racing returns to Running Aces on Sunday (June 29) with a 12-race program that will get underway at 6 p.m. (CDT).