from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — Expresso Forte ended a streak of four solid second and third place finishes to win his first Class A pace for the best horses at Running Aces on Monday night, May 19, edging Only Choice by a neck.

Not only did it give driver Joey Mapes his first win in the weekly featured race, but enabled him to maintain a one win edge over John DeLong atop the driver dash standings after the first six weeks of the inaugural meet at the new Minnesota track. Favored Tattler’s Jet finished third in the 1:55.1 mile.

The upset victory for Expresso Forte, a 6-year-old Precious Bunny gelding owned by Charter Bryant, ended a four race win streak for Only Choice. Tattler’s Jet had notched the only other Class A feature for males, on opening night in early April, and had finished second on three other occasions by less than a half length.

The enthusiastic new fans at Running Aces will now likely have three “heavyweights” in the ring when the top pacers line up again next week.

Whata Blue Boy (Rick Magee) notched a win in the Minnesota-sired A pace on the same card, besting Sammy Kankan (Robert Lems) and Whata Santana (Jim Molitor) in 1:58.2. The 4-year-old Camfleet gelding belongs to Banks Standardbreds.

The Class B state-bred event was captured by Mysparklindiamond, a 3-year-old filly owned by Brandon Jenson in 2:01.1 over Khanboy (Ryan Lems) and Tootin Lady (Magee).

Trotters were highlighted on the Sunday afternoon matinee program. Photo Dream (Adam Hauser) regained his claim as top trotter in the state with an impressive 1:58.3 tally over last week’s winner Final Scorpion (Duane Miller) and My Victory Song (DeLong).

It was the sixth win to go with two place finishes for the 11-year-old winner also owned by Banks Standardbreds. The ironhorse, a former pacer, has now notched 24 wins in 42 lifetime starts on the trot.

Starry Night Star (Nick Roland) captured the Class B trot over Skinan (Mapes) and Terrific Triumph (Josh Banks). Despite drawing the rail for owner Vernon Devine and trainer Susan Schroeder, the winner had to come from sixth at the half-mile marker to score by a length in 2:01.3.

A Class C trot went to Zorgwijk Fatal (Gene Miller) for owner Dale Zahn in 2:01.4.

Saturday night belonged to the fillies and mares pacers and Valentine Hotspur (J.D. Perrin) returned to the winner’s circle, where she hadn’t visited since opening night six weeks ago for owner Norman Glinz. The 4-year-old Beach Boy Blues mare turned back Ima Looker (Magee) and Charm N Fun (D. Miller) in 1:57.3. Recent winners in the competitive top class for distaffers didn’t fare as well this week as Carlee’s Conquest, Filly Finale and Eagle Creek Beauty rounded out the six-horse field.

Just Kidding You (Magee) managed to hold off Golightyourworld (DeLong) and Pretentious Lady (Evan Coblentz) in a Class B-1 event, while 3-year-old filly My Way Back made an impressive 1:58.2 Running Aces debut in the B-2 class, demolishing Pennywise (Coblentz) and She Grins Again (Roland).

Running Aces is nearing the halfway point of its first season with six weeks of racing completed and seven still to come. Large crowds in excess of 2,000 continue to pack the compact grandstand and clubhouse on most race days and enthusiastically cheer on the horses race after race.