by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces

Columbus, MN — The Tuesday night (June 26) feature at Running Aces was the $13,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace, with a strong field of eight distaffers squaring off behind the gate.

Gold Star Mysti was the overwhelming public choice after her dominating performance last week and she was sent off as the 1-5 favorite to repeat Tuesday night.

When the gate’s wings sprung, it was a mad scramble for the lead, Delightfully Wild (Lemoyne Svendsen) and Abbijade Hanover (Rick Magee) started the initial battle for the lead, but Gold Star Mysti (James Yoder) and Kiss On The Lips (Nick Roland) both quickly chimed in from their outside posts, resulting in a three-wide battle around the first turn, passing the quarter in :27.1.

Gold Star Mysti surged between mares for the lead, then yielded briefly to Kiss On The Lips, before re-taking the top spot just before the half-mile marker which flashed up :55.1. From there Gold Star Mysti ($2.60) settled in her top spot and was never in doubt, well in command past the 1:24.2 three-quarter check-in and drawing away to a solid two length score in 1:52.4 over Delightfully Wild, Whatitdo Babyboo (Steve Wiseman) and Kiss On The Lips.

The very impressive 5-year-old mare by Mysticism now has three wins and one second in four starts this year. She is owned by Gold Star Farms and trained by James Yoder.

Hard Cold Cash (Dean Magee) made it two wins in a row in the $12,500 claiming pace with another dominating performance from gate-to-wire in 1:52.2 for his eighth win of the season. Hard Cold Cash ($3.80) is a 6-year-old stallion by Dali, owned by Antonia Storer and trained by Denise Maier.

Drivers Nick Roland, Dean Magee, Steve Wiseman, and James Yoder all turned in driving doubles on the Tuesday program.

Nobody solved the Hi-5 wager in the final race, and there is now a $1,567 carryover for the Hi-5 on Saturday night (June 30), which is T-shirt giveaway night at Running Aces. All patrons who purchase a live racing program on Saturday will receive a Running Aces 10-year anniversary commemorative T-shirt. First post on Saturday is 6 p.m. (CDT).