by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces

Columbus, MN — The featured event on the Tuesday night program at Running Aces was the $7,400 claiming/conditioned pace, and it would prove to be a dominating performance for Make It Big ($3.20) who delivered a gate-to-wire dazzler from the outside six post.

Dee Leftwich photo

Make It Big scored in a lifetime mark of 1:53.1.

Driver Steve Wiseman sent the talented gelding by Blue Burner right to the front and never looked back while posting fractions of :27.3, :57.2, and 1:25.1 before powering home in :28 to leave his rivals reeling. The final margin at the wire was 4-1/2 lengths over Tornado Henry (Mooney Svendsen) who improved from a three-hole trip, and Hello Sevens (Rick Magee) who also improved one position in the final quarter.

Make It Big is owned by Benvenga Racing, Kathie Plested and Darren Taylor, and is conditioned by Kathie Plested. Tuesday’s tally in a lifetime mark of 1:53.1 was career win number 12 in 70 starts for the Alberta-bred pacer.

Bet Together ($4.80) was another impressive winner on the card, as the 11-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding also fired from post six and led from start to finish, stopping the clock in 1:53.3 despite very sloppy conditions with trainer James (J.D.) Yoder in the sulky for Casandra and Rebecca Uppal.

Elusive Image turned in an eye-opening performance in the $5,500 nightcap conditioned pace, with yet another gate-to-wire romp by two lengths in 1:53.1 with owner/trainer Tony Huffman driving. The 4-year-old gelding by Rockin Image is also owned by June Huffman, and the win was his first tally in two starts this year.

Drivers Steve Wiseman and Mooney Svendsen both turned in driving doubles on the evening’s program.

The 20-cent Jackpot Pick 5 wager now has a carryover of $1,397.21 for Saturday night (June 2).

Post time on Saturday and Sunday evenings is 6 p.m. (CDT) and Tuesday racing starts at 7 p.m. (CDT).