Columbus, MN – The Sunday night (June 14) program at Running Aces featured the weekly $15,000 Open Handicap trot as well as the Minnesota-sired sophomore trotters going for $35,000 in two divisions, and driver Rick Magee captured victory in all three events as part of a four-win night for the Aces stalwart.
Magee was teamed up with Escaper from post 6 in the Open and was sent off as the 3-1 second choice, while Fifty Rivers (driver Casey Leonard) was the heavy favorite at 3-5, and those two horses dominated the affair.
Magee sent Escaper straight toward the front as the gate sped away and Leonard and Fifty Rivers came charging from post 8 to take the lead just before the :27.1 quarter while Peanutbutterfalcon (Mooney Svendsen) secured third position from the rail draw.
Lexus Markus (Dean Magee) had also left for position but was caught on the outside and forced to press the leaders through the middle stages in :56.3 and 1:25.4 before tiring near the top of the lane.
As they swung for home, Fifty Rivers was still going strong but Escaper was ready to pounce from the pocket and tipped out to go after the leader. Fifty Rivers fought gamely to the line, but Escaper surged strongest in the final strides to prevail by a neck in 1:54.4 while Peanutbutterfalcon held third.
It was the second win of the season for Escaper, a 5-year-old son of Muscle Hill who is owned by Rotiboy4Eva Racing Stable. The winning trainer is Harold Herrera for the Maria Alvarez stable. He paid $8.80 to win.
Rick Magee also piloted Bang Bang Boogie (New Jersey Viking, $3.40) to a sharp 1:57.4 victory over SV Shining Star and Shots On Goal in the $21,000 Minnesota-sired sophomore “A” trot for his fourth win of the season for owners Stephanie Anfinson and Ken Stauffer and trainer Justin Anfinson, who also sent out the runner-up.
Rick also steered My Little Maverick (Maverick, $3.60) to his first win of the season with a career best 1:59.1 mile over Wisco Moni Heist and Imjumpnjackflash in the $14,000 sophomore “B” division for owners Aimes Racing and Connie Oke and trainer Elvin Zimmerman.
The other multi-race winners on Sunday included driver Casey Leonard and trainer Justin Anfinson.
Live racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday night (June 16) for a nine-race program that will feature a carryover of $15,138.74 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager, which will start in race 5. First post is set for 7 p.m. (CDT).