Minnesota Harness Racing announces 2023 sophomore award winners

Columbus, MN – The 2023 Minnesota Harness Racing divisional award winners are being announced this week, as the MHRI annual meeting and awards banquet approaches. The celebration of the 2023 harness racing season will take place on Saturday (February 17) at Running Aces Casino, Hotel and Racetrack in Columbus.

The Minnesota divisional awards are made up of the top two performers by earnings in each age and gender group in the Minnesota-sired restricted events at Running Aces.

The 2023 Minnesota Harness Racing sophomore divisional Champions are:

Wisco Tootsie (Southwind Flash), Iron Sharpens Iron (Banker Volo-Lindy’s On Fire), Gotubydashorthairs (Wind Me Up), and I’m A Skoldier (Wind Me Up)

The sophomore divisional Runner-Up award winners are:

Caronamar (Southwind Cobra), BP’s Lucky Star (For You Almostfree), Quite The Flirt (Wind Me Up), and King Of Aces (Three Of Clubs-Poorlittlerichgirl)

Wisco Tootsie put together a very impressive sophomore campaign to be a clear division leader amongst the filly trotters, solidifying her dominance with three-straight Aces wins in August, including her career best win in 2:00.1 on August 20. She was a perfect four-for-four during that month including a win at the Saint Peter fair.

Wisco Tootsie closed out her season with a total of 8 wins and 4 seconds from 21 starts and total earnings of $93,473 for her owners (The Sandstone Social Club) and trainer Dan Roland. She was bred by Harlan Nolt. Rick Magee was the regular driver for Wisco Tootsie.

The Runner-Up sophomore filly trotter award winner is Caronamar, who was a clear second in her division, she was particularly sharp in July, achieving back-to-back wins late that month including posting her sophomore mark in 2:00.2 at Aces on July 23.

Caronamar ended her season with ten top-three finishes from 18 starts and total earnings of $47, 549 for owners Jeanne Marquis and Jay De Long. Justin Anfinson does the training and Todd Warren was her regular pilot.

Iron Sharpens Iron captured the 2023 sophomore colt trotter Champion award with another very impressive season. The defending 2022 ‘Minnesota Harness Horse of the Year’ won 8 of 11 starts at Running Aces while never off the board. He won ten races overall in 2023, and earned a total of $123,389 for the year. He took his sophomore mark of 1:55 at Aces on August 20.

Iron Sharpens Iron is owned by trainer Dan Roland, and was also owned during his summer campaign by his breeder Jeralene Roland as well as Devon Arp, and the late Alfredo Villarreal. Luke Plano is the regular driver for Iron Sharpens Iron.

The Runner-Up sophomore colt trotter award winner is BP’s Lucky Star, who posted a tremendous campaign in his own right and was a clear second in the division.

BP’S Lucky Star was razor sharp in July and August, capturing the headlines with three Aces track record performances including his career best mile of 1:54.2 on August 6. He posted a total of 7 wins and 3 seconds from fourteen starts while racking up total earnings of $78,124 for the season.

BP’S Lucky Star is owned by his trainer Rick Huffman, in partnership with Brenda Lovetinsky and Penny Lundell. Mooney Svendsen was his regular pilot.

The sophomore filly pacer Champion is Gotubydashorthairs, who absolutely dominated her division in 2023. She posted 9 wins from 12 Aces starts including a four-race win streak to close out her season, all while flaunting her signature and dramatic come-from-behind racing style. She accumulated total earnings of $126,087 and took a mark of 1:53.3 on June 29.

Gotubydashorthairs is owned by her breeder Mark Anderson and trained by Gordon Graham. Nick Roland was her regular driver.

The Runner-Up sophomore pacing filly award goes to Quite The Flirt.

Quite The Flirt had one win and 8 top-three finishes from thirteen Aces starts and took her sophomore mark of 1:56.1 at Aces on June 1. Overall, she had one win and eleven top-three finishes from 22 starts in 2023 and posted total earnings of $50,718 for the year.

During her 2023 Minnesota campaign, Quite The Flirt was owned by her breeder Van Otterloo Stables and trained by Robert Lems.

The sophomore colt pacer Champion award winner is I’m A Skoldier, who dominated the division early in 2023 and recorded 5 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds from thirteen Aces starts.

I’m A Skoldier took a sophomore mark of 1:52.3 on June 8. He closed out his year with an overall summary of 8-3-5 from 24 starts and total earnings of $98,488. He was owned during his 2023 Minnesota campaign by his breeder Van Otterloo Stables and was trained by Robert Lems. Mooney Svendsen was his regular pilot at Running Aces.

The Runner-Up sophomore colt pacer award winner is King Of Aces, who is a homebred for breeder Williams Hernandez and owner Maria Alvarez.

King Of Aces posted one win and ten top-three finishes from eleven Aces starts in 2023, taking a sophomore mark of 1:54.1 on May 25. He closed out the year with two wins overall and total earnings of $53,158.

Williams Hernandez was the trainer and Luke Plano was the regular Aces pilot for King Of Aces.

Stay tuned as the older divisional award winners will also be announced with a separate press release this week.

As per tradition, the overall ‘2023 Minnesota Harness Horse of the Year’ award will have open nominations and a live vote at the (Feb 17) banquet at Running Aces.

by Darin Gagne, for Minnesota Harness Racing