Gagne reflects on 2022 at Running Aces

As 2022 has come to a close, Running Aces track announcer Darin Gagne recently shared his list of Top moments of the 2022 Running Aces harness racing season … In no particular order:

Search The Sea (Downbytheseaside) – posted a dominant sweep of the Burning Blaze pacing series in May and June for trainer/driver Brady Jenson – trouncing the competition in the Final on June 9 in 1:55.4 – it was an extra special win for Jenson since Jenson’s god-parents Cheryl and Alan Sandbulte, co-owned and bred the late Minnesota star Burning Blaze.

Alilthundadownunda (Malak Uswaad N) – with trainer/driver Nick Roland for Set The Pace Racing, returned to Running Aces as the reigning horse of the year in Minnesota and proved he could compete with the best older male pacers around with a couple of early meet wins in the Open Handicap pace, “The win on June 7 in a career best 1:51.2 mile included one of the most impressive power moves I have ever seen in any of the 20,000 plus races that I have called.” shared Gagne.

Susie’s Sister (Claudius Augustus) with Tony Kerwood – captured her Wiseman Memorial elimination heat on June 19 in a sparkling 1:54.3, which became the fourth different current track record that she now holds. She was trained by King for Lynchris, LLC.

Curvsreasyondaeyes (Easy Again) with Luke R. Plano for trainer Maria Alvarez and owner Kati Sokolowski opened up his 3-year-old campaign with 8 straight wins, he was then a close 4th while slightly under the weather before bouncing back to top form to capture his $60k divisional Final on Night of Champions.

All American N (Muscle Hill), also with Luke Plano for team Alvarez/Hernandez – captured the Steve Wiseman Memorial Trot for the second straight year on June 26 in 1:55.2, as part of another ‘king of the hill’ season in Minnesota for All American N, who won 9 races at the meet.

Dean Magee – ‘The Bobcat’ – posted his 5,000th career win when he piloted Just B Talking to a sharp 1:54 win on Tuesday, June 28. The awesome milestone moment was so much more special as the win came behind his own trainee and family horse owned by his son Taylor Magee and Taylor’s girlfriend Hannah Larson  … Magee wound up winning over 90 races and $900k in purses at Aces in 2022.

A Major Omen (Art Major) – with Tony Kerwood – charged home to win the $50k Dan Patch FFA Final in 1:50.4 – on July 24 – paying big dividends to his fans at 25-1 odds. Owner/Trainer Gerald Longo said it was one of the best moments of his more than 50-year career. A Major Omen wound up winning 15 races in 2022 with 9 of them at Running Aces. He also won the $25k Goody Two Socks pace on September 16.

Brady Jenson – dominated the Aces card on Thursday, August 25 with 5 driving wins for his first 5-win night of his career. Jenson has been a home-grown rising star at Running Aces over the past few years, and in 2022 he made the top 3 as both a trainer and driver. Team Jenson also had 2 wins on Night of Champions with Al-Mar Rich’s Jetta and Twisted Bliss, with big brother Brandon Jenson scoring the driving double on the Champions program. 

Iron Sharpens Iron (Banker Volo) – with Luke Plano for DanJer Farms (Dan and Jeralene Roland) and Angie Coleman captured his 8th straight win on September 6, lowering his track record number to 1:58.1 and posting his 4th record mile of the year. He absolutely dominated the freshman male trotting division in Minnesota in 2022. He made it 9-in-a-row in his $60k final on Night of Champions to become the richest 2 year old ever in the Minnesota program.

Bringoverthemoney (Money Talks) – with Dean Magee for Katie Horvat and Joshua Horvat, captured his $60k divisional Championship on Saturday, September 17 in a seasonal best 1:55.1 … making it three straight years as the aged male trotting division Champion. He continues to age like a fine wine, and it has been a tremendous job by Katie and her team keeping this classy trotter at the top of his game each year.

Luke Plano – ‘Cool Hand Luke’ – posted a banner year at Running Aces in 2022 to capture his first local driving title. He recorded more than 100 wins, winning at a 23% clip and posted a UDRS rating of (.370) while also becoming the first driver to eclipse $1 million in purses in a single season at Aces.

Also worthy of mention: Young driver James Gould posted his first career PM win at Aces on 8/4 (Big Rusty), trainer Mikaela Del Giudice scored her first win on 8/9 with Zanetti, and trainer Alexia Kehl recorded her 100th training win this summer on 7/10 (Ice Master).

The Minnesota track also posted record wagering handle numbers in 2022, with all-sources handle on the Running Aces product exceeding the tracks previous mark by more than 30 percent, and total purses paid topping $6 million for the first time, an increase of more than $1 million from the previous purse mark.

Horses will be back at Running Aces in just 4 months, with the backside opening for the 2023 season on Sunday (April 30) and first qualifiers on Thursday (May 4). Opening night is set for Sunday (May 14).

by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces