Columbus, MN – Trainer/Driver Nick Roland posted an impressive sweep of the first four races on the Tuesday night (Aug.12) program at Running Aces, completing the grand slam with a very sharp effort from freshman male pacer Wild About Me who surged from the pocket during the final sixteenth of a mile to capture his second win in just three career starts.
Roland left aggressively from post eight in the $15,000 event with the son of Wind Me Up and battled early with the heavy favorite Set Free (Rick Magee) as they posted a quick opening panel in :28.1 with Wannatalkaboutmeme (Mooney Svendsen) watching the early battle from third.
Set Free dictated the moderate middle fractions in :58 and 1:28 before turning up the speed for the final quarter while Wild About Me tracked intently in the pocket and Luke Skyrocker (Elson Miller) tried a first-over bid.
In the lane, Set Free paced strongly but Wild About Me emerged from the pocket with pace and those two battled to the finish with Wild About Me surging past in the final strides for a three-quarter length tally in a career best 1:56.2 mile while Whatevrittakes Two (Luke Plano) rallied late for third money.
The winner is owned by Set The Pace Racing.
Mac’s Marvel (Svendsen, $3.20) posted a dominating score in the $12,000 top condition-level pace, going to the front just past the quarter mile and then drawing away at every call for a 5-3/4 length tally over Spiritofanoutlaw (Brady Jenson) and Handsome Harvey (Plano) in 1:52.4. It was the seventh win of the season for the 6-year-old son of Captaintreacherous who is owned by Friendship Stables and trained by Maria Alvarez.
Sparklingchardonnay (Aracache Hanover) surged inside late for Roland in the $15,000 freshman filly ‘A’ pace to get up by a head in the final stride over Starstruck Fool in a thrilling finish in 1:56.4 with race favorite Merry Tyler Mare checking home in third.
The winner is owned by Roland as well as Carol Polkowske, The $2 win mutuel was $9.60.
The other freshman winners included:
Al-Mar Flash Over (Roland, $2.20) in 2:00, HM Magical Money (Roland, $4.80) in 2:02.2, Vada (Svendsen, $6.40) in 2:01.4 and Diesel Thunder Boy (Cisco, $6) in 2:00.
Driver Mooney Svendsen and trainer Maria Alvarez also posted doubles on the program.
The Pick-5 Jackpot was hit with one lucky player taking home $15,576.20 for a 20-cent base wager.
Live racing returns to Running Aces on Thursday night (Aug. 14) with first post set for 6 p.m. (CDT).