from Running Aces Harness Park

Columbus, MN — It was a good night to be on or near the front Sunday night (July 29) at Running Aces as eight of the ten winning horses were first or second at the half-mile pole and the other two were both fourth and already in the outer flow.

In the $10,000 Open Handicap Pace, At Last (Lemoyne Svendsen) captured his second straight weekly feature with an impressive 1:52.2 score. The 6-year-old Mark Anderson owned and trained gelding backed off the gate last, but was on the move early, moving from eighth to fourth between the quarter and halfway point, then wearing down pacesetter and eventual runner-up Restless Yankee (Ryan Lems) before pulling away to an eight length score.

A $7,200 undercard event was won by Marced Card (Rick Magee) in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:53.2. Wally Johnson trains the $8,000 claimer for owner Connie Roland.

The $6,000 event saw Rep Tie (Nick Roland), carrying a $6,000 claiming tag, win for the third time in the last four starts, this time in 1:54.1 for owner-trainer Dan Poprawski.

Shoot The Works (Steve Wiseman), a $4,500 claimer, won his second straight for a $5,000 purse in 1:54.4. He is owned by K.C. Carvalho and trained by Tim Brown.

Driver Joey Mapes won half of the first six races with victories behind Lee A Bryant, Tidbit and Allusive Annie.