Columbus, MN — The Sunday afternoon (June 28) harness racing program at Running Aces featured a very nice field to contest the top trot of the week, the $10,000 Open Handicap.

Banker Volo (Brian Detgen) left alertly from post four for a short-lived early lead before Pat Berry rolled by with Magic MVP to cut the fractions and Rick Magee also left alertly with Bordogna to find a tuck in third. The quarter flashed up in :27.3 and Berry stepped on the brakes to steal a second panel in just :30. Bordogna was activated into attack mode and set sail on a first-over grind just past the half-mile marker, while My Uncle Cuz (Don Harmon) picked up the live cover.

Bordogna surged late to win a hard fought battle with Magic MVP. Dee Leftwich photo.

Magic MVP picked up the tempo in the third split (:28.1) for a 1:25.4 clocking while still two lengths clear of the rest, but as they neared the homestretch Bordogna turned up the pressure and forged to even terms. The final sixteenth of the mile was a ding-dong battle between those two and Bordogna kicked home just a bit faster to score a hard-fought win by a neck in 1:55.1, remaining undefeated in five starts in 2020.

Bordogna ($8.60) is a 4-year-old stallion by Trixton out of the Credit Winner mare Lima Playmate. He is owned by Cathy Dessert and Ken Stauffer and trained by Justin Anfinson.

The Sunday card also featured three divisions of the 3-year-old Minnesota-sired trotters.

The ‘A’ grouping vied for a purse of $11,500 with Teachmehowtotory (Nick Roland) scoring a 13-1 upset ($28.20) in a career best 2:00.3 for trainer Jessica Johnson and Set The Pace Racing.

The ‘B’ split went for $6,900 and was dominated by race favorite Musclestobragon (Don Harmon, $4.40) for trainer Justin Anfinson and owners Jesse and Ben De Long in 2:01.2.

The same winning connections (along with additional owner Eric De Long) scored in the $4,600 ‘C’ division with huge favorite Double My Dekker (Pat Berry, $2.20). That mile was also trotted in 2:01.2.

Nick Roland and Don Harmon each turned in a driving triple on Sunday, while Rick Magee picked up a double. On the training side Justin Anfinson led the day with three winners and Jessica Johnson picked up a double.

Live racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday (June 30) with first post at 1 p.m. (CDT) and features a carryover in the Jackpot Pick-5 wager of $2,601.19.