Columbus, MN – The Sunday night (July 12) harness racing program at Running Aces featured the weekly Open Handicap trot as well as two divisions of the Minnesota-sired sophomore trotters.
In the $16,000 Open, Escaper garnered the most attention on the tote board and was sent off as the even-money favorite from post 5, while All Champy was also highly respected at 2-1 from post 2.
Driver Rick Magee sent Escaper into immediate action when the starter said “go” and prevailed in an early skirmish with Lexus Markus and Josiah Miller for the top spot during the quick :27.1 opening stanza while BP’s Lucky Star (Mooney Svendsen) landed in third.
Escaper held command through very moderate middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:26.3 while All Champy launched a first-over bid down the backstretch.
Escaper had a 1-1/2-length cushion turning for home over Lexus Markus, but the pocket-sitter emerged late with a furious charge to the wire to force a photo finish that showed Escaper as the winner by a neck in 1:54.4 for his fourth win of the season. BP’s Lucky Star was a hard-charging third and the entire five-horse field was within two lengths at the finish.
The winner is a 5-year-old by Muscle Hill and is owned by Rotiboy4Eva Racing Stable and is trained by Harold Herrera. He has now earned $278,216 to date. The win mutuel was $4.
SV Shining Star made it three wins in a row in the $17,500 sophomore filly trot with a 4-1/4-length romp in a career best 1:57.3 over Model Good looks and Anitra’s Dance. Magee was the winning pilot for owner Jay DeLong and trainer Justin Anfinson. The sharp daughter of Be The Best now shows eight career wins from 19 outings. She returned $2.10 as the overwhelming favorite.
HM Magical Money, by Tom Ridge, recovered from an early mistake at the start to post a huge late rally and capture his seventh career win with a new mark of 1:56.3 over My Little Maverick and Bang Bang Boogie in the $17,500 colts & geldings division.
The winner is trained and driven by Nick Roland for owners Tom and Kathy Shipley and Royal Roland. Win pool players collected $9.40 for every $2 ticket on HM Magical Money.
Driver Magee and trainer Anfinson led the program with three wins each, while Brady Jenson and Casey Leonard both posted doubles.
Live racing returns to Running Aces for a nine-race program on Tuesday night (July 14) with first post set for 7 p.m. (CDT).