Training title going down to wire at Running Aces
September 1, 2011,from Running Aces Harness Park
Columbus, MN — With just three programs left in the racing season at Running Aces a trio of trainers are embroiled in a neck-and-neck battle for the 2011 trainer’s title.
Mark Anderson, a native Minnesotan who returned to the Gopher State from California for the first time this year, holds the narrowest of margins with 26 trips to the winner’s circle. He is followed by Tim Maier and John De Long who each have produced 25 winners from their barns.
The closing night program on Labor Day will feature nine $20,000 Minnesota-sired State Championship races, but none of the top three trainers are well represented in those finals. Maier is expected to start Gogan in the older horse and gelding pace, but neither Anderson or De Long have Minnesota-bred horses to enter. So the Saturday and Sunday night cards will likely determine the outcome of the tight trainer’s race. Maier has two horses programmed for Saturday, De Long has one and Anderson none. The Sunday card won’t be drawn until Friday morning but all three conditioners are expected to have multiple entries from their stables on that night.
The driver’s dash title will belong to veteran Dean Magee for the second straight season. His 70 victories put him well ahead of Nick Roland (45), Rick Magee (42), De Long (35), Joey Mapes (24) and Maier (23).
On the track Wednesday night a pair of Opens were contested, one for pacing mares and one for trotters. The Open Distaff event was captured by Real Suspicion for the third straight week. Lemoyne Svendsen was the sulky sitter of the Mark Anderson trainee, who bested Little Tootsie (Dean Magee) and Castle Oaks (Tim Maier) in 1:53.4.
The best trotters at the meet lined up in the next race and Fair Trial (John De Long) managed to nose out Candy Is Dandy (Rick Magee) in 1:58.3, with Big Baller (Tim Maier) 2-1/2 lengths back in third. The partnership of Horsemans Financial Agency and Premier Racing Stable own the 7-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding who missed the entire 2010 season but has now won three straight at Running Aces.