from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — The 2012 Running Aces Harness Park live racing season begins Saturday morning (May 26) at 11 a.m. (CDT) when six qualifiying races will go to post in anticipation of the track’s June 6 opening night program.

A total of 38 horses entered to race in the first of two pre-season qualifying sessions. The final tune-up is scheduled for next Saturday (June 2) and the entry box closes Friday (June 1) at 10 a.m.

This Saturday’s qualifying session includes four pacing races and two trots. The most competitive field appears to be the finale of the day when seven older pacers face the gate with a total of 54 lifetime victories and $226,972 in combined career earnings. Sweeney Hanover (Marlin VanOtterloo) tops the list with 12 wins and $49,466 in earnings. Vanishing Ryan (Jeff Ryan) is close behind with 10 triumphs and $46,373 in his bank. The others are RD IOU (Brandon Jenson) with nine wins and $27,392 earned; Restless (driver TBA, 8, $21,212); Ya U Betcha (Nick Carter, 7, $40,860); Yank My Missile (Rick Magee, 5, $30,339) and Peanuts (Dale Lagerquist, 3, $11,330).

The top trotters scheduled to qualify are Greenback (Joel McDanel) with 11 victories and $33,621 in career earnings; Nearly Rich (Jenson, 8, $41,672) and King Rail (Adam Hauser, 4, $16,786).

Stables are arriving daily on the backstretch at Running Aces with the four nights a week summer-long live racing schedule rapidly approaching. All 244 available stalls have been allocated plus a number of new stables are expected to ship-in from nearby farms and county fairgrounds this season.

“With higher purses and a few more horses to work with, we expect mostly full fields and our most competitive racing to date in our fifth season,” exclaimed Director of Racing Gregg Keidel.