from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — Delco Willobee proved worthy of trainer-driver John DeLong’s confidence on Sunday night (July 24) at Running Aces, holding on by a head in front of a full field of Open pacers in the weekly $9,000 featured race.

The 4-year-old altered son of Ft Apache Hanover, who DeLong calls “one of the best horses I’ve ever driven,” moved to the lead just past an opening quarter in :27.1, then cruised through middle panels of :56.1 and 1:24 before throwing a :28.3 final quarter to complete the victory in 1:52.3. At Last (Dean Magee) was second with Mark Anderson stablemate Thedeadliestcatch (Lemoyne Svendsen) finishing third.

The clocking of 1:52.3 was two seconds off Delco Willobee’s finest winning effort at Balmoral Park, but did equal the Running Aces record for 4-year-old pacing geldings. DeLong’s father, Jesse, owns the triumphant pacer.

The win was one of three for John DeLong, who also scored with bottom claimer Amy Ellen for conditioner Dan Poprawski and the DeLong Stable’s conditioned pacer Chickiechickiewawa.

Leading driver Dean Magee also notched a hat trick on Sunday, guiding Whata Huckster, Kristy’s Keen and S S Future to the winner’s circle for trainers Jeff Ryan, Dale Visnovec and Dan Epp, respectively.

Big Heern (Evan Coblentz) got the best of nine other foes in the first of a two-week “Survivor Series” for a $3,000 purse. The same ten contenders are eligible to compete in a $6,500 championship next Sunday night. Lets Talk About Me (Nick Roland) and Whos Your Daddy O (DeLong) were second and third, but the top eight were within four lengths at the finish and the other two were in strong contention at the top of the lane, but made breaks. The upcoming final looks like a wide open affair.

The Sunday night handle of $183,827 was just $3,000 shy of the all-time record set a week before a recent government-imposed three-week shutdown.

Running Aces resumes racing on Tuesday and Wednesday nights with 7 p.m. (CDT) post times.