Minnesota’s finest shine on Saturday night
June 18, 2011,from Running Aces Harness Park
Columbus, MN — Four races restricted to state-breds were highlighted Saturday night (June 18) at Running Aces Harness Park.
Restless Yankee (Craig Banks) started the card off with his third straight triumph against the best older male Minnesota-breds, annihilating the field in a front-running 1:54.2 score over WW Win (Dean Magee) and Gogan (Tim Maier).
With the impressive win in the $5,000 event, the 4-year-old Restless Yankee gelding, owned by Ron Emerson and Mark Holtan, upped his career bankroll to just dollars short of the $100,000 plateau. He will have to clear that hurdle, however, against “Open” competition as Restless Yankee is excused from state-bred races for two weeks after winning three straight.
RA’s Shakenbake (Will Roland) was trying to duplicate the three straight wins feat in the second race of the program, but was upset by DJ Speedy Fox (Craig Banks) in the weekly Minnesota-sired trotting feature. Nearly Rich (Brandon Jenson) managed a third place finish in the $6,500 purse race.
Ernest and Lucas Koltis are partners with Banks on the winner. With his pair of wins in Saturday’s daily double at Running Aces, Craig Banks is now just four wins shy of a coveted 1,000 wins milestone.
The next race had a similar scenario as Dandy Di was attempting a three-peat in the $5,500 older Minnesota mares race. Newcomer Little Tootsie took advantage of an early break by Dandy Di to win in 1:54.3 for leading driver Dean Magee. Blazing Fury (Rick Magee) also edged Dandy Di to garner the place money. The three outstanding Minnesota mares are expected to battle throughout the summer for state superiority.
In a conditioned $3,000 Minnesota-sired race for non-winners of a race, Jacey’s Outlaw (Adam Hauser) used the recently installed passing lane to best Bratatouille (Gerry Longo) and Swinging Yankee (Josh Banks) in 2:00.
The carryover in the 50 cent Pick Six on races four through nine has reached $1,000 and is expected to attract added attention when racing resumes Sunday night at 7 p.m. (CDT) at Running Aces.