The Sunday night harness racing program at Running Aces featured the $15,000 Dan Patch Preview as a prep race for the $35,000 (est.) Dan Patch Free For All Pace Sponsored by Watch and Wager on Sunday July 23.
The field of 6 for the preview was loaded with talent and after the dust cleared, the two most impressive contenders came out on top and look poised to be the favorites going in to next week's signature event.
Megatron (James Yoder) was making his first local appearance, shipping in from Ohio where he had faced the top open races, and he fired to the early lead (27.2) from post 4, but quickly yielded to SF Donttellonme (Joe Casagranda) who was fresh off a 1:52.1 lifetime mark in the top local pace last out. SF Donttellonme controlled the middle portions of the race (55.3, and 1:24.0) but was unable to sustain tonight, as heavy favorite Roland N Rock (Steve Wiseman), coming in with a 7 race winning streak, made a huge sweeping move around the last turn to take the lead and draw away for his 8th consecutive win and he remains prefect at Running Aces this season with a 3-for-3 record.
The extremely popular 5 year old by Rocknroll Hanover stopped the clock in 1:51.3 tonight for a seasonal best time. He is owned by Duane and Connie Roland and trained by Duane Roland.
Firedrake was sent off as the 4-1 second choice from post 1 in the big preview race and he was locked in tight for most of the mile but found room late in the mile to fire through the inside lane and pick up second money, 2½ lengths behind Roland N Rock ($3.00). Firedrake (Nick Roland) came into tonight's contest having crossed the wire first in each of his 8 starts this season, but had suffered a disqualification early in the meet, this was his biggest test to date and he raced huge, he was clearly second best and he was home in 1:52.
Barbosa posted another sharp gate-to-wire victory, for three in a row and his fifth local win of the season tonight as part of a driving triple for his trainer Luke Plano. Barbosa ($4.80) is a 6 year old pacing gelding by General Aidid and he stopped the timer tonight in 1:54.4 in a $7,000 Claiming-Conditioned event for Owner Heather Mathews. Plano sent his pacer right to the lead from post 6 in the 9 horse affair, and set reasonable fractions of 27.4, 58.0 and 1:26.1 before posting a strong final quarter of 28.3 to seal the deal and register career win number 27.
The $13,000 Minnesota-Sired 3 year old Filly Trot went to Imapixieatmidnight, for her third win of the season. Trainer/Driver Nick Roland guided her away into an early pocket position before sweeping to the lead down the backside to take a strong lead and hold on gamely in the stretch for the 2:01.4 tally. The Sos Lunar Eclipse filly has earned $28,693 in 9 starts this season for owners Set The Pace Racing LLC.
Driver Nick Roland picked up yet another impressive Grand Slam with his 4 winners on the Sunday card, with Steve Wiseman and Luke Plano both completing the Hat-Trick with 3 wins each.
The next card of live Harness Racing at Running Aces Casino & Racetrack will go to post on Tuesday night, July 18 at 7:00 pm CT, with a carryover in the .20 cent Jackpot Pick-5 wager of $11,895.51.
By Darin Gagne, Running Aces Track Announcer