from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — An entire program with nine sub-2:00 winners, despite a steady rain downpour throughout the evening, marked the start of the third week of the Running Aces season on Tuesday night (June 14).

Imadragon (Tim Maier) captured a $6,000 conditioned pace in 1:57.3 to best a fast-charging Marie’s Jate (Gary Rath) and Capricious Art (Joey Mapes). Trainer Cheryl Whitsell also owns the 9-year-old Dragon Again gelding who won for the 52nd time in his illustrious career.

Fastest winning miles belonged to a pair of Evan Coblentz owned and trained geldings, however, as Chris Fatta won a $4,250 race in 1:57 and Clayton David notched a 1:56 tally in a $3,000 event early on the card.

The first leg of the Future Stars series for colts and geldings was also staged with a huge upset in the ten-horse first round field. Handsome N Cool (Ryan Lems) was the longest shot in the race at 42-1, but didn’t look like it, winning by over a length in 1:59.1. Runner-up Jive Turkey (J. D. Perrin) was overlooked by the betting public as well, being sent off at 23-1, while the show dough went to 11-1 Gonnahavetodomore (John De Long). Resultant mutuel payoffs were $587.40 for the exacta, $2,993.60 for the trifecta, and a whopping $1,172.01 for a ten-cent superfecta.

Racing resumes Wednesday night at Running Aces with another nine-race program featuring first leg divisional action in the Future Stars series for distaff pacers.