from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — Trainers who plan to base at Running Aces Harness Park this summer are advised that all stall applications must be submitted by the April 15 deadline to be considered. The Minnesota track, entering its fourth season of live racing, expects to allocate all 251 available stalls on April 30.

The season will begin May 31 and run four nights a week through August 27, a total of 51 programs. A 7 p.m. (CDT) post time will be constant every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday night throughout the summer. The barn area will open on May 9 for those allocated stalls and a pair of qualifying dates have been set for May 18 and May 25.

Purses will increase for the fourth consecutive year at the modern five-eighths-mile, state of the art facility. The total prize money available for 2011 is projected to be six percent higher than 2010, bringing the average nightly total purses to $36,000 for the nine-race programs, or an average of $4,000 for all overnight events. The purse structure will start with a range of $2,500 to $8,500, depending on class, but could be increased at intervals throughout the meet. An additional $220,000 purse allocation is available to supplement Minnesota-sired events and fund a Minnesota State Championship program on closing night.

A number of Late Closer events will be offered for ‘green’ horses early in the meet. There will be series for non-winners of one pari-mutuel race or $2,500 lifetime and non-winners of two pari-mutuel races or $7,00 lifetime for both pacers and trotters, with the pacing events divided by sex. A series for $5,000 claiming pacers will also be offered. Nominations to the series will be due opening night, May 31, and entry forms will be available by May 9 at the race office or online.

An exciting new twist to the 2011 races will be the addition of expanded homestretch racing. An 11-foot-wide “inside passing lane” is being installed to allow several more horses (and their fans) to have a legitimate chance to win while rounding the final turn. In addition to more exciting finishes, it is believed expanded homestretch racing makes each contest safer and should reduce the amount of interference placings for infractions late in the mile.

Stall applications can be downloaded from the track’s website: www.runningacesharness.com, by clicking the Racing Resources tab.