Open Pace co-features at Running Aces

Columbus, MN – The Tuesday afternoon harness racing program at Running Aces featured two $10,000 Open pacing events with nine talented Mares lining up for the distaff open and nine talented male pacers lining up for the horses & geldings open.

 

In the Mares feature, Last Flight In N (Pat Berry) was bet down to even money favoritism from post six while Amasa Arion (Rick Magee) was also well supported at 2-1 from post nine and both Always Be Lucy (Nick Roland) and Pull The Shade (Brady Jenson) were sent off at 7-1 odds.

 

Always Be Lucy blasted from the gate but faced an immediate challenge from McPansy (Don Harmon) who took the front and registered the first quarter in :27.4 before yielding the lead back to Always Be Lucy.

 

Last Flight In N launched an attack at the 3/8 mark and swept to the front while clearing before the half in :56 seconds. Last Flight In N remained on the lead past three-quarters in 1:24.3 and kept the front until the head of the lane as there were several rivals swarming in.

 

Pull The Shade and Always Be Lucy were attacking into the stretch but Amasa Arion tipped widest of all for the drive and was loaded with pace, surging past them all to register a 1-3/4 length victory in 1:53.2 over Always Be Lucy, Pull The Shade and McPansy.

 

Amasa Arion ($6.20) is a 5 year old daughter of Western Thorn and is owned by Kristy Casagranda and also trained by Rick Magee. The win today was the second in just 3 starts on the year for Amasa Arion, and pushed her career bankroll to $93,449.

 

The Horses & Geldings Open also had two clear favorites in the wagering as Heza Real Diamond (Nick Roland) was 6-5 as the top choice from post eight over Indiana invader Rockin Speed (Jared Seekman) who was 2-1 from post nine. Royale Big Guy (Mooney Svendsen) garnered luke-warm support as the third choice at 6-1.

 

When the gate released the field it was Stuckey Dote (Darrell Wright) who had the most early speed while Rockin Speed left from the far outside and was parked through the :27 opening quarter before making the front near the 3/8 mile juncture.

 

Royale Big Guy was the next to try for the front and hounded the leader through the middle and late stages (:56.1, 1:23.4).

 

As they turned for home Royale Big Guy drew on even terms with Rockin Speed but horses were closing from both sides and Heza Real Diamond tipped wide with a strong brush to take a deep stretch lead while Stuckey Dote and Top Notch both closed fast on the inside. Heza Real Diamond paced strong to the wire and checked in a 3/4 length winner over Stuckey Dote, Top Notch and Rockin Speed in 1:51.4.

 

Heza Real Diamond ($4.60) has now won seven of eleven starts in 2020 and has recorded sixteen career victories, today's score edged the 4 year old gelded son of Allamerican Native over the century mark in lifetime earnings – to $100,150. The winner is owned by Orlando Nevarez and trained by Edwin Quevedo.

 

Multiple race winners today included drivers Lemoyne 'Mooney' Svendsen, Dean Magee, and Pat Berry, each with two wins. Gerald Longo picked up two training wins on the Tuesday card.

 

Live Racing returns to Running Aces on Saturday, July 11 at 1:00 pm (CDT) and will feature a carryover in the 20 cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager of $6,135.44.