from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — Realbadcombination, a 7-year-old Astreos gelding, repeated the rarest of harness feats on Saturday night (June 4) when he won for the second time in less than a week at Running Aces Harness Park on different gaits.

He won in 1:57 on Tuesday night in a conditioned pace, then entered the following morning for a conditioned trot Saturday night which he won in 1:59.4.

Leased by trainer Dan Poprawski, the handsome horse — a crowd favorite in Minnesota — won the pace for Dean Magee in come-from-behind fashion including a final quarter of :29.2. Nick Roland guided him to his second winner’s circle photo in Saturday’s trot.

Astonishingly, Realbadcombination pulled off the identical feat during the 2010 season at Running Aces.

A $7,000 Open was won by Expresso Forte (Joey Mapes), who used the newly-installed passing lane to nip Castle Oaks (Tim Maier) and Nicota (Dan Maier) by a head. The winner is a 9-year-old owned by Charter Bryant and has won on multiple occasions in all four seasons at Running Aces.

A pair of Minnesota-sired races were also featured Saturday night with Ya U Bet Cha (Gerry Longo), a 3-year-old pacing colt owned by trainer Wendy Haberberg, upsetting the Rockaway Racing Stable’s Wisconsin Place and Rockaway’s Pyro in a $6,500 event in 1:57.

The Rockaway Stable’s outstanding 3-year-old colt R A’s Shakenbake came back in the next race to beat older state-bred trotters in 1:58.3, which established a new track record for sophomore square-gaited geldings. Driver Will Roland wired the field for trainer-partner Trent Drollinger, besting DJ Speedy Fox (Craig Banks) and One Bad Cookie (Gerry Longo).

Racing resumes Sunday night at Running Aces with a 7 p.m. (CDT) post.