COLUMBUS, MN. – American Dancer and Stuckey Dote swept their respective $8000 splits of Minnesota-sired two-year-old races on Wednesday night in their final tune-ups before Minnesota Night Of Champions on Sunday, September 12 at Running Aces, when each of the eight freshman and sophomore divisions will race for $21,000 purses. With three $11,000 races for older state-breds also scheduled that night total purses will be $201,000.
American Dancer broke her maiden in the filly division following six straight show finishes in her first six starts. Sent off at 5-1 odds, driver Luke Plano positioned American Dancer in third from the innermost post position then sent her first-up following the halfway station. Lapped onto favored pacesetter Dag Inmy Stockings (Duane Roland) at the head of the stretch, American Dancer paced home strongest of all to repel Cruzin Coco (Adam Hauser) by just over a length in 1:57 with Dag Inmy Stockings holding for the show dough.
The win was one of three on the program for Luke Plano, who also won the opener with Fox Valley Salsa and the nightcap with Stylemaster.
Stuckey Dote (Tim Maier) added to his impressive rookie season resume with another resounding triump, this time by better than ten lengths in 1:57.1. The Merlin Van Otterloo owned and trained son of Voracious Hanover now sports six wins and two place finishes in eight career starts and a bankroll of $24,960 entering the upcoming championship fray. You'llseemeupfront (Lemoyne Svendsen) and Mint To Cruise (Nick Roland) earned the place and show payoffs.
Gregg Keidel