by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces

Columbus, MN — The Tuesday evening (July 17) card at Running Aces featured the weekly $12,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace and Delightfully Wild remained razor sharp by delivering a gate-to-wire performance in 1:53.4 for her 10th victory of the season.

Delightfully Wild was sent off as the race favorite, as part of a two-horse entry, and she drew the outside seven post in the talented field of distaffers. Driver Lemoyne “Mooney” Svendsen sent her charging hard from the gate, engaging in an early battle with last week’s winner Kiss On The Lips (Nick Roland).

Delightfully Wild was able to establish command quickly and remained on top throughout the fractions of :27.1 and :57.2 before facing strong pressure from her stablemate Bettor Lady (Dean Magee) as they rounded the final bend and registered 1:26.2 at the three-quarter pole.

Delightfully Wild still had command turning in, but Kiss On The Lips was ready to pounce from the pocket and Whatitdo Babyboo (Steve Wiseman) had followed the outer flow and tipped three-wide coming for home. She took a split-second lead with 70 yards to the wire but Delightfully Wild would not relent and Kiss On The Lips was surging along the inside. It was a three-horse battle to the line and Delightfully Wild ($4.60) kept her neck in front at the wire, with Kiss On The Lips checking in second, just in front of Whatitdo Babyboo.

The winner is a 5-year-old by Bettor’s Delight, owned by Richard Morita and David Yamada, and trained by Jessie Pacheco.

The 2-year-olds invaded the track on Tuesday night at Running Aces, kicking things off with Burning Blaze delivering on his promise showed in two sharp qualifying wins. The impressive gelding by Wind Me Up turned in an eye opening gate-to-wire tally in 1:57.3, in his $8,500 Minnesota-Sired event, checking in more than six lengths ahead of his rivals. Burning Blaze ($2.40) is owned by Alan and Cheryl Sandbulte and Edward Gutin and is trained by Justin Anfinson.

MD Magic ($9.80) converted a pocket trip into a debut victory in the $14,000 Minnesota-Sired 2-year-old trot, trotting home in :30.2 to stop the timer in 2:04 for trainer/driver Nick Roland and owners Set The Pace Racing. MD Magic is a gelding by Braggart. Lone Pine Shuzy (James Yoder) was a very sharp second, after setting the fractions.

Windmeupnwatchmego (Dean Magee) closed from off the pace, posting a sharp :28 final quarter to capture the win in the $8,500 2-year-old filly pace in 1:59.4, with Trinitysfancyfilly (Brian Detgen) posting a strong second, beaten just a half-length. The winning filly is by Wind Me Up and is owned by Richard Davelaar and trained by Gordon Graham.

This coming weekend at Running Aces is Dan Patch weekend, with the Dan Patch Historical Society on-site on Saturday (July 21), and also featuring a horse and driver bobblehead giveaway and live music. Saturday’s featured races are the $25,000 Minnesota Preferred Trot and $25,000 Minnesota Preferred Pace. Sunday (July 22) is a huge day for Minnesota harness racing, featuring the $50,000 Dan Patch Free-For-All final and also featuring a live broadcast by NAHUpicks.com and a day full of fan giveaways with a grand prize of a trip for two to the 2018 Hambletonian Stakes at The Meadowlands.