from Running Aces

Columbus, MN — Trot Fudge Sundae continued the rotation of winners of the weekly $8,000 Open Trot on Wednesday night (Aug. 20) at Running Aces. In the process the 4-year-old American Native mare broke the track record for her age, sex and gait by four-fifths of a second.

Her 1:55.2 clocking eclipsed the previous best of Heartsaregonnaroll established in 2013.

Driver-trainer Rick Magee was content to sit in the pocket through fractions of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:26.2 before collaring front-stepping Wilamar Valley (Tim Maier) and holding off third place finisher Franky Provolone (Steve Wiseman). Again the entire field was less than three lengths apart at the wire. Trot Fudge Sundae is owned by the partnership of James Bafia, Eugene White and the Dirk Simpson Stable.

Toatsmygoats continued his domination of the Minnesota-sired 2-year-old pacing ranks with his sixth win in seven tries in an $11,500 race for the state’s best freshmen. As a prohibitive favorite, leading driver Jason Ryan (who was celebrating his 26th birthday) was able to control the throttle through a pedestrian first half then accelerated through a fast final half to triumph in 1:56.2 over Queen Of Denial (Nick Roland) and Moonshinenmonkeys (Rick Magee).

Toatsmygoats has now earned $37,000 in seven starts for the Van Otterloo Stables and will be one of the headliners when the Minnesota State Championship races for $20,000 purses go postward on closing day, Aug. 30.