from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — A pair of distaff pacing series culminated on Sunday afternoon (June 29) at Running Aces Harness Park, with AJR Cambuchet capturing the $6,000 Queen of Columbus championship and JJ’s Request winning the $4,000 Debutante Series Final.

For AJR Cambuchet, the championship triumph was her second win in less than 48 hours as veteran trainer-driver Craig Banks “tightened” his 3-year-old Jody’s Cam filly for Sunday’s big race with a score in a Class C-1 event on Friday night.

Sunday’s 1:58 victory for the Lilly Racing Stable’s stalwart was two-fifths of a second swifter than Friday’s tally. Although the winner used come-from-behind tactics on Friday, Banks switched game plans on Sunday and sent the 6-1 shot directly to the top from the pole post position.

After cruising through fractions of :29.3, 1:00.1 and 1:28.4, the talented filly threw a :29.1 final panel at her seven competitors for the ‘crown,’ besting favored Golightyourworld (John DeLong) by 1-1/2 lengths. Longshot Glinz Sunlite (J.D. Perrin) was just inches further back to garner the show dough.

The series was limited to fillies and mares who were non-winners of three races or $10,000 lifetime at the time of the first leg.

JJ’s Request is a relative newcomer to Running Aces, having been sent by owner John Perrin of Ohio to his son J. D., who is currently fourth in the dash standings during the inaugural season in Minnesota, specifically for the Debutante Series, which was designed for female maidens or non-winners of $2,000 lifetime.

The All I Ask filly had a win, two seconds and a third in preliminary leg action, and equaled her lifetime best in the 2:00.1 championship mile. She bested a fast closing C C Kloe (Brian Detgen) by two lengths, with favored Moveovermack (Banks) managing to hold on for third following a first-over journey.

The CKG Billings Series for amateur drivers also visited the state of Minnesota for the first time ever, and Gene Miller, who has spent the last three months at Running Aces, guided his own Rompaway Ulaine to a neck victory over President Pine (Steve Oldford) and Starry Night Star (Gregg Keidel). Miller, a former Billings champion, improved his outstanding Running Aces statistics with his fifth driving victory and 20th training triumph during the first 50 programs in Minnesota.