Cannon Falls, MN — The 2024 Minnesota harness racing season got underway on Sunday (May 5) at the Cannon Falls fairgrounds with ten races providing tune-up opportunities for horses getting ready for the upcoming Running Aces meet which gets underway on Sunday (May 19).

Marktentwentyseven at Cannon Falls in 2023. MHRI photo.

Marktentwentyseven (Up Front Brad) stole the day with the biggest performance on the card, checking home a 10 length winner in the fastest mile of the day, a 1:58.2 effort which also boasted the fastest final quarter of the afternoon (:28) in a division of the Free-For-All pace.

Brady Jenson was the winning pilot and he wasted no time in putting the 10-year-old gelding into play, powering off the gate from post four to quickly grab the pocket behind pacesetter Sign Of The Times (Adam Hauser) as they clicked off a quick opening quarter in :30.2 over the track rated as slow.

Marktentwentyseven tracked the leader intently through the middle stages (:59.4 and 1:30.1) before exploding from the pocket around the far turn and powering through the stretch to post his 27th career win. Nine years ago, during his freshman campaign, he was also a winner at Cannon Falls the first time he saw the track.

It’s a family affair with the winner, as both Brandon and Brady Jenson are frequently listed as trainer and both brothers have registered many driving wins behind the bay pacer for owner and dad Larry Jenson. Brandon is also listed as the breeder.

Marktentwentyseven has now earned $191,955 so far in his productive career while never posting a winless season. After Sunday’s performance he appears to be in great form as he gets ready to take on this year’s Running Aces season.

Team Jenson registered a double on the program when What Ya Thinkin (Whats Up Now) opened up his 9-year-old campaign with a victory in 2:01.1 in another division of the Free-For-All pace.

Brady Jenson and What Ya Thinkin went to the front and then yielded to Intheskyrocket A (Hauser). Jenson pulled the right line as they rounded for home and the top two pacers battled to the finish, with What Ya Thinkin grabbing the win by a neck.

Brady also owns What Ya Thinkin and Brandon was down as trainer.

Cannon Falls overall track record holder Zanetti (1:56.2 in 2022) also made his 2024 debut a winning one on Sunday, posting a strong gate-to-wire win in the featured Free-For-All division in 2:01.4 with Rick Magee in the bike.

The 8-year-old son of Arocknroll Dance checked in three lengths ahead of his stablemate Antetokounmpo (Brady Jenson). The top two finishers are owned by Rick Magee and trained by Mikaela Del Giudice.

Perennial Minnesota trotting star Bringoverthemoney (Money Talks) did not disappoint in his season’s debut, leading every step of the featured trot and posting a 6-3/4 length victory in 2:03.4 to kick off his 9-year-old campaign in style with Dean Magee in the bike.

He is the richest Minnesota-sired trotter in history and appears poised to pick up right where he left off in 2023 when he won six races and over $78,000 for owner Joshua Horvat and trainer/breeder Katie Horvat.

Wisco On A Mission (Southwind Flash) posted a very impressive win with a big mid-race move from the back of the pack to take the lead heading around the final turn, en route to a 3-1/4 length tally in a career best time of 2:08 in the sophomore filly trot. Rick Magee was the winning pilot for trainer Justin Anfinson and owners Jay De Long and Terry Knothe.

The other winners on the program included Moon Kid Photo in the sophomore colt pace (James Gould, 2:06.4), Delco Irene in the sophomore filly pace (Jay De Long, 2:06.1), King Of Disco in the sophomore colt trot (Dean Magee, 2:18), Wisco Incredible in the sophomore colt pace (Adam Hauser, 2:08.1) and Wilamar Spark in the Free-For-All “B” trot (Adam Hauser, 2:03).

Trainer Justin Anfinson led the day with four wins with all four winners owned wholly or in part by Jay De Long. Training doubles included Katie Horvat and Brandon Jenson and driving doubles included Rick Magee, Dean Magee, Adam Hauser, and Brady Jenson.

Running Aces will hold its first round of pre-season qualifiers on Thursday (May 9) and then Cannon Falls will host another race day on Saturday (May 11) before the final pre-season qualifiers which will take place at Running Aces on Tuesday (May 14).