by Darin Gagne, Running Aces Track Announcer

Columbus, MN– The Saturday night (May 28) opening race was the $11,000 Open Handicap Trot, and Flameon was looking for his sixth straight win.

Photo courtesy of Leftwich Photography

Flameon is on fire indeed, as he collected his sixth consecutive victory of the season on Saturday (May 28) at Running Aces.

The red-hot gelding was sent off as the overwhelming 1-5 choice and the 6-year-old son of Angus Hall did not disappoint. He left sharply from the outside post five, and never looked back while strolling through fractions of :28.3, :58.4, and 1:28.3 before widening his lead in the stretch with a :29.2 final panel.

Flameon posted a final time of 1:58 over the sloppy track and paid $2.40 for a win ticket. He is owned and trained by Mark Anderson of California and was driven by Dean Magee.

Cruzin Coco ( by Voracious Hanover ) scored her second straight Aces win, taking the $7,000 3-year-old Minnesota-Sired Filly Pace, which was the second race, in 1:58.2. The sophomore lass won by two lengths with Rick Magee aboard and paid $4.20 to her supporters as the favorite.

Bunkerhill Bill ( G.Longo ) captured his second straight local win in the $9,000 upper-level conditioned pace in 1:54.4 in race three for owner/trainer Gene Miller of Michigan. The 5-year-old yielded $6.00 to his backers.

Swagasaurus Rex ( by Voracious Hanover ) was very sharp in capturing the $7,000 3-year-old Minnesota-Sired Colt Pace in the fourth race. He sat in the pocket early as driver Rick Magee waited until just past the three-quarter pole to make his move. Swagasaurus Rex responded gamely as he paced away from his rivals to score by three lengths in 1:57.4, paying $5.80 for the win and completing a driving double on the card for Magee.

Defending champion driver Nick Roland swept the final four races on the Saturday (May 30) card, starting in race seven with Gotta Dream Big ( $17.80 ) for trainer Sean Lancaster and owner Al Bird, of British Columbia. The horse posted a lifetime mark of 1:54.3 despite a sloppy track.

Then in race eight, Roland steered Holla At Ur Boy ( $14.80 ) to victory for Lloyd and Judith Schneiderman of South Dakota in 1:58. He completed the hat-trick with his own charge, trotter Lo Rail Crossing, in race nine ( $8.40 ) for owner Lorenza Gooch of Texas, with a final time of 1:59.4. He topped off the four-bagger with another horse from his own barn in the tenth race as Headsup Yankee hit the wire in 1:55.3 ( $3.20 ) for Set the Pace LLC of Minnesota.

The next card of live harness racing at Running Aces Casino and Racetrack will go to post on Sunday night (May 29) at 6:00 p.m.

There will be a carryover in the 50-cent Jackpot Pick-6 wager of $1,121.93.