by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces Casino & Racetrack

Columbus, MN — The final Tuesday night program is in the books and Running Aces will close out the 2017 season this Saturday (Sept. 16) with our big Night of Champions program, starting at 6 p.m. (CDT).

The Tuesday featured $10,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace was another edition of the Kiss On The Lips show, as she once again dominated in gate-to-wire fashion with Nick Roland at the controls.

Kiss On The Lips has been absolutely a monster competitor over the last two months of her Aces campaign, winning six of her last seven races, and surprisingly doing so without having been the favorite in any of those races.

This week, Roland sent Kiss On The Lips right to the lead from her assigned outside post, as expected. Running Aces’ all-time leading driver then was able to orchestrate some very cushy fractions up front (:28.2, :58, and 1:26.4), and once he successfully executed that strategy, there was no chance of catching the dynamic duo. Her final time was 1:53.4 to complete her third straight win at the top Open level for pacing mares.

Kiss On The Lips ($5.40) now has eight wins in 29 starts this year, and 28 career wins. She is owned by Peg Hoffman and trained by John Rogers.

CW Raisinette also picked up her sixth win in the last seven starts in a $7,000 conditioned trot. One of the stars of the Wiseman barn this season, the 4-year-old mare is by Claudius Augustus and she now has six wins in 11 starts on the year.

Driver Steve Wiseman floated her off the gate into third from post one, before sweeping to the lead just after the quarter pole. CW Raisinette battled gamely when stablemate One Chief (Mooney Svendsen) drew alongside, taking the lead away for a sixteenth of a mile. In the stretch, Wiseman and CW Raisinette ($3.40) prevailed with an impressive :28.2 final kick to leave One Chief back in second, with Franky Provolone (Dean Magee) closing nicely for third in the 1:56.4 mile.

CW Raisinette is owned by A Piece of the Action, LLC as well as trainer Kathie Plested-Wiseman.

Driver James (J.D.) Yoder had another impressive night at Running Aces, sweeping the late Pick-3 for a natural hat trick.

The Night of Champions program on Saturday will showcase the Minnesota-sired horses, with championship finals in each division. Estimated purses are in excess of $300,000. The season finale program gets underway at 6 p.m. (CDT) and there are mandatory payouts in all wagering pools on Saturday.