Juslikeaqueen now a perfect 3-for-3

The Tuesday evening (July 9) Harness Racing program at Running Aces featured the weekly Mares Open Handicap Pace event, with this week's edition drawing a field of seven going for $14,000. The talk of the tote-board at (1-9) was Juslikeaqueen, who was assigned post seven and was looking to extend a two race win streak at the top Mares Open level. Driver Lemoyne "Mooney" sent the favorite right to the front, but had to deal with a strong early challenge for the lead from Delightfully Wild (Nick Roland) through a very fast :26.3 opening stanza, with Delightfully Wild forced to settle for the pocket, and Cay's Blessing (Darrell Wright) showing plenty of early speed as well and getting away third.

Once settled on the lead, Juslikeaqueen was well in control of affairs, and posted solid middle fractions of :55.1 and 1:22.3, with no pressure whatsoever. As they straightened for home, Delightfully Wild mounted a challenge from the pocket but was no match for the leader, who held firm to the wire for a ¾- lenth score in 1:51.1, just 1 tick off of the track record for aged pacing mares (Show Runner, 1:51) and making the effort even more impressive was the track rating of good (the rating started at sloppy, and was upgraded after five races). PV Miracle Mary (Rick Magee) rallied from the back of the pack to get third money.

The winner is a five year old daughter of Palone Ranger, and out of the Kingston mare Queen Caroline. She is owned by Antonia Storer and is trained by Tim Maier. The victory on Tuesday was win number seven on the season, and pushed her yearly earnings to $64,010, while her career bankroll is now at $281,080. Juslikeaqueen ($2.20) is the lone mare in a field of nineteen nominees for the 2019 Dan Patch FFA Pace at Running Aces, which gets underway with elimination races this coming Sunday (July 14).

Two year old Minnesota-Sired races were also a highlight of the Tuesday action, with Go Margeaux ($6.60, Rick Magee) picking up her first career win in 2:03.2 over the sloppy surface in the "B" Trot, and Miss Gracious ($4.60, Darrell Wright) remaining a perfect 3-for-3 lifetime in the "A" Trot in 2:03.1. On The pacing side, Ain't That A Shame ($5.00, Don Harmon) won her first career race with a gate-to-wire win in 2:00.2 in the "B" division, while Bunkerhill Phil ($22.60, Don Harmon) topped the "A" split with a sharp mile in 1:57.4 for his first career pari-mutuel win.

Live Racing returns to Running Aces on Saturday night (July 13) with two sizeable carryovers: $4,714.19 in the 20 cent Pick-5 Jackpot, and $4,777.45 in the .50 cent Hi-5 wager. First post on Saturday is at 7:00 pm (CDT).

By Darin Gagne, for Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack