by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces

Columbus, MN — Last year, Firedrake (Nick Roland) won the featured harness racing event of the Minnesota season in 1:52.1, the $35,000 Dan Patch FFA final.

Running Aces is bringing back the event for 2018 and the purse has been increased to $50,000 for the final, with $80,000 in total purses offered, should eliminations be necessary. Without eliminations, total purse for the series is $65,000.

Running Aces Casino & Racetrack has opened the box for nominations to the 2018 Dan Patch Free-For-All Pace, which features a $50,000 final on Sunday (July 22). The $15,000 eliminations will be held on Sunday (July 8), if necessary, and there will be a $15,000 Dan Patch Preview on Sunday (July 15), open only to those horses nominated to the Dan Patch FFA. The top nine horses from the eliminations will be eligible to the preview and the final.

Nomination fee is $500 and nominations are due by Monday (June 18). Nominations must be received in the race office or postmarked by this date. Supplemental entries will be accepted with a $3,000 supplemental entry fee, due on Thursday (July 5).

Nomination forms are available for download on our website, www.RunAces.com.

Mail checks and nomination forms to Running Aces Casino & Racetrack, Attn: Race Office, 15201 Running Aces Blvd., Columbus, MN 55205-7908.

For additional information, please contact Race Secretary Nancy Byrge at 651.925.4532, or by email: nbyrge@runaces.com.