The featured event on the Tuesday night (Aug. 30) program of harness racing at Running Aces featured the $11,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace, and in the end it would come down to the two most accomplished mares in the field, separated by just a half-length at the wire in 1:54.
Hare To Eternity (Nick Roland) stormed out of the gate from the outside 7 post and set the fractions of 27.1, 56.4 and 1:24.4 before pocket sitter Part Time Lady (Dean Magee) and closer Windsun T Bird (Jim Marino) began their attacks in the stretch drive, and when the dust cleared it would be Part Time Lady checking in first at the wire, over a hard-charging Windsun T Bird, with Hare To Eternity forced to settle for third in the exciting finish.
The winner, a daughter of Jereme’s Jet and a Mooney Svendsen trainee now sports 7 wins in 24 starts on the season, and has bankrolled $39,575 this year for Owners Ron and Tammy Wells.
The Angels Share ($4.80), a 3 year old filly by Four Starzz Shark paced to a new lifetime mark of 1:55.0 in just her 5th lifetime start, shaving nearly 3 full seconds off of her previous best (1:57.4) taken last time out. Driver Jim Marino eased her away fifth from post 5 before sending her in motion just before the quarter pole, and she cleared easily just past the 3/8 marker, and was never in doubt from there, charging home confidently in 28.3 to secure a 3¾ length tally in the $5,500 conditioned event for Trainer Sean Lancaster and owner Dr. James Findlay.
Look Again Eda ($4.60) posted another ultra-impressive win this night with a new lifetime mark in a thrilling stretch battle with Dakota Jack (Mooney Svendsen), she held off that rival with a neck in front at the wire in 1:54.4 with Rick Magee in the bike for Trainer David Flinn and Owner Ira Bontreger. Tonight’s win, in a $5,500 conditioned pace, was the 6th win in 10 lifetime starts for the 3 year old filly who was un-raced at two.
Majestic Lady Jo (Jim Marino) did not disappoint as the even-money favorite ($4.00) in a $3,600 conditioned trotting event tonight, with a dominating gate-to-wire romp by 4¼ lengths in 1:58.3 for Owner Amy Grunwald and Trainer Rick Bertrand. It was the 7th win of the season for the 5 year old mare by Abra, who set a new track record here back in July (1:56.0) and has bankrolled $27,210 this season.
Driver Luke Plano picked up a Hat-Trick on the card, with Rick Magee and Gerald Longo both scoring doubles.
The .50 cent Hi-5 wager in race 10, (which had gone unsolved in Sunday’s final race, and again in tonight’s 9th race produced a new record payout of $11,184.45 on the 8-4-5-3-2 combination, with the longest shot (16-1) on top.
The next card of Live Harness Racing at running Aces goes to post at 7:00 pm CDT on Wednesday, August 31. The Night of Champions (and closing night) is this coming Saturday, September 3rd.
By Darin Gagne, Running Aces Track Announcer