Columbus, MN — The Tuesday evening (Aug. 20) program at Running Aces was jam packed with exciting and competitive races, and featured many outstanding performances. Among those were two major standouts in SB Madam Secretary who stormed home to capture the $8,625 Minnesota-Sired “A” freshman filly trot in track record time, and Amasa Arion, who flew home with a furious kick to get up right on the wire in the $15,000 Mares Open Pace for five wins in a row.

SB Madam Secretary entered the record books with a 1:59.4 score. Dee Leftwich photo.

Driver Darrell Wright floated SB Madam Secretary away from the gate at the back of the field before joining the outer flow with second-over cover near the midway point, while the early fractions were honest (:30.1 and :59.4). Go Margeaux (Rick Magee) had led the early stages before Teachmehowtotory (Nick Roland) took over near the 1:29.2 three-quarters, with Susie’s Sister (Don Harmon) bearing down from second and SB Madam Secretary dropping in third as they rounded the far turn.

As they straightened for home Susie’s Sister took a tentative lead, but SB Madam Secretary was trotting strongest of all to the wire, nailing a track record victory by a neck over Susie’s Sister with Passion In Paris (Steve Wiseman) getting up for third money in a career best 1:59.4 mile.

SB Madam Secretary ($30.80) is a daughter of Tom Ridge, out of the Revenue S mare Candy Is Dandy, owned by breeder Deborah Hofsaess and Susan Holm-Johansen, and trained by Ulf Holm-Johansen. The historic victory was the second career triumph in seven outings for the bay filly.

Amasa Arion scored an impressive victory in the $15,000 Mares Open pace feature, besting a very talented field of eight mares, including headliner and race favorite Juslikeaqueen (Dean Magee).

Driver Rick Magee got the 4-year-old Western Thorn prodigy away in good order from the gate, dropping in third from post four, while Delightfully Wild (Nick Roland) and Juslikeaqueen battled for the front spot and posted a quick opener in :27.4.

Juslikeaqueen would lead from there, while PV Miracle Mary (Darrell Wright) pressed the pace from first-up, and Pull The Shade (Brady Jenson) advanced with the live cover through the middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:25.

They were all bunched up turning for home, providing lots of pressure to leader Juslikeaqueen and Rick Magee angled Amasa Arion from fifth on the inside all the way out to the four-path and they accelerated with an impressive burst to the wire to nail a neck victory over Juslikeaqueen in 1:53.4 with Pull The Shade a close third.

Amasa Arion ($6.00) has now won five races in a row and seven of nine season’s starts for owner Kristy Casagranda and trainer Rick Magee.

Rick Magee and Steve Wiseman both led the Tuesday program with three winners.

Live racing returns to Running Aces on Saturday (Aug. 24) and offers a trio of carryover pools: $1,666.54 for the 50-cent early Pick-4, $1,260.64 for the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot, and $1,199.42 for the 50-cent Hi-5. Post time on Saturday is 6 p.m. (CDT).