Columbus, MN – Trotters were in the spotlight on the Sunday night (July 5) harness racing program at Running Aces, with two divisions of the Minnesota-sired 3-year-olds going for $17,500 each, as well as the $16,000 Open Handicap as the night’s featured events.
Bang Bang Boogie rolled to his third straight win and his sixth win of the season in the colts and geldings division with a very sharp gate-to-wire effort in a new career-best time of 1:56.2 with driver Rick Magee in tow. The son of New Jersey Viking checked home 1-1/2 lengths better than HM Magical Money (driven by Nick Roland), with My Little Maverick (Brady Jenson) a solid third.
Bang Bang Boogie is owned by Stephanie Anfinson and Ken Stauffer and is trained by Justin Anfinson. The win mutuel was $2.40.
SV Shining Star, also driven by Magee, lived up to the hype in the filly split, making a mid-race move to the top from third and proceeding to draw away from her rivals at every call from there en route to a 2-3/4-length score in 1:58.1 over Anitra’s Dance (Scott Cisco) and Model Good Looks (Jenson).
The impressive daughter of Be The Best is owned by Jay DeLong and trained by Anfinson. Her win mutuel was $2.20.
Fifty Rivers turned in a sharp effort in the Open Handicap event to pick up his eighth win of the year. Driver Casey Leonard sent him into immediate action from post 6 and they had to work a bit to get to the top and relegate Peanutbutterfalcon (Cisco) to the pocket position. Once on the lead, Fifty Rivers led comfortably throughout before facing a strong late challenge from the pocket sitter deep in the lane, which resulted in a photo that showed Fifty Rivers the winner by a nostril over Peanutbutterfalcon. Chapolier (Plano) was third in the 1:54.4 mile.
The winner, a 4-year-old son of Fiftydallarbill, is owned by J M F Racing and is trained by Kathie Plested. He paid $4.80.
Sunday’s leaders included drivers Magee and Josiah Miller and trainers Anfinson and Gerald Longo, all of whom posted doubles on the card.
Live racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday (July 7) for a special “Harry Potter” themed night that will benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital and will offer “Dollar Night” specials and free-bet drawings.
On the pari-mutuel side, there is a carryover of $31,767.80 in the 20-cent Jackpot Pick-5 wager, which will get underway in race 5.
First post is set for 7 p.m. (CDT).