Jacob Cutting notches 500th career win

Columbus, MN – Driver Jacob Cutting, age 23, registered his 500th career harness racing victory on Thursday night (August 15) at Running Aces delivering as the 1-5 favorite with JK My Girl in race five.

Cutting and JK My Girl (JK Endofanera) asserted themselves early in the $6,100 conditioned pace, going to the front from post five before orchestrating the give-and-go maneuver with the public’s second choice Racin For Royalty (Williams Hernandez) just past the :28.1 quarter-mile station.

They were back on top to record the moderate :57.4 halfway point fraction and controlled the affair from there while Racin For Royalty tracked in the pocket and Lucky Lil Lady (Jeff Hunt) traveled in third.

In the lane Racin For Royalty tipped out and came after the leader, but JK My Girl ($2.60) dug in gamely to fend off the late attack and post her fourth win of the season by a half-length in 1:54 over a very game Racin For Royalty while Lucky Lil Lady held for third money.

The winner is a 5-year-old mare owned by Erika Huffman and is trained by Bob Lems.

JK MY GIRL REPLAY

Cutting, who is currently second in the driver standings at Aces, wasted no time in getting started on his next 500 wins as he delivered a sharp steer and worked out a perfect trip in the very next race aboard 10-1 El Parrandero Q (Wind Me Up) in the $17,000 Minnesota-sired sophomore male ‘A’ pace for win number 501.

Leaving sharply from post three, El Parrandero Q was first to strike the front before 1-5 favorite Fast Larry (Mooney Svendsen) took over the top and registered the fractions of :27, :55.4 and 1:23.1 while Cutting sat patiently behind the leader and Celebrity Status (Nick Roland) raced from third.

Cutting took closer order as they arrived near the top of the homestretch and tipped out as they straightened for the drive.

El Parrandero Q responded immediately and charged outside of Fast Larry who tried to dig in but could not hold off the late challenge.

El Parrandero Q (Wind Me Up) got home a three-quarter of a length winner over Fast Larry in a career best 1:52.1 mile while Celebrity Status was well back in third.

It was the 4th win in 8 starts this season for El Parrandero Q ($23.60) for owners Triple Q Stables and trainer Edwin Quevedo.

EL PARRANDERO Q REPLAY

Deja Vu Babyboo (Karpathian Kid) pulled a mild upset in the $17,000 sophomore filly ‘A’ pace, charging home from third at the top of the lane to surge past Apple Juice and Delco Irene for a 1-1/2 length tally in 1:54.

Nick Roland was the winning pilot on Deja Vu Babyboo ($11.20) for owners Van Otterloo Stables and trainer Lems.

Bapa’s Double Knot (Vlos, $3.20) delivered his first career win in 1:56 to capture the $8,500 sophomore ‘B’ pace over Howl At The Moon (Aaron Lehman) and Sassy Top (Svendsen).

Elson Miller was the winning owner/trainer and driver.

DEJA VU BABYBOO REPLAY

Fox Valley Leah (Somestarsomewhere) powered home in the lane to capture victory in the $15,500 Mares Open Handicap pace for her third seasonal win, getting home a half-length better than Two Pistol Annie in 1:53.4 while Majors Miracle got home in third.

Todd Warren was the winning trainer/driver and also co-owns with Lester Peters and Richard Tomei. She paid $16.20 to win.

FOX VALLEY LEAH REPLAY

Brady Jenson led the Thursday night program with four driving wins and three training wins, while Nick Roland posted a driving triple and Cutting and trainer Lems also had doubles.

Live Racing returns to Running Aces on Sunday (August 18) for a big 12-race program that will feature the $35,000 Steve Wiseman Memorial Trot Final with a special “Whatever It Takes” themed night that will benefit the Colon Cancer Coalition. As per tradition, there is also a Wiseman night Hat giveaway.

Sunday is also Pepsi Family Night with specials and kid’s activities as well as trout fishing, food trucks, Sole Survivor handicapping contest and losing ticket drawings.

Post Time on Sunday is 6 p.m. (CDT).

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces