Minnesota’s aged pacing award winners announced

Columbus, MN – Minnesota Harness Racing Inc. has named the 2024 aged pacing award winners.

The announcements are being made ahead of the MHRI annual meeting and Awards Banquet which will be held on Saturday (February 22) at Running Aces Casino, Hotel and Racetrack.

𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨 is the older pacing mares champion. She is a daughter of Easy Again and was bred by Dennis Bontrager. She is owned by Scorpio Stables and trained at Running Aces by Bob Lems.

Fillister Photo was a winner on Night of Champions in 1:55 and took her 4-year-old seasonal mark at Aces in 1:54.1 on August 8 with her regular pilot Todd Warren in the bike.

She had 2 wins and seven top-three finishes and earned $45,006 from 10 Aces starts. Her overall summary for 2024 was 22-4-2-2 with a total bankroll of $53,634.

𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬 is the older pacing mares runner-up. She is a daughter of It’s That Time and was bred by Larry and Nancy Jenson. She is owned by Larry Jenson and trained at Running Aces by Brady Jenson.

Twisted Bliss was a sharp second on Night of Champions and she took a new career mark of 1:54 on May 23 with Brady Jenson in the bike, while Brandon Jenson is her regular driver.

She raced exclusively at Running Aces in 2024 and had a final summary of 14-1-4-2 and earnings of $32,786 for her 6-year-old campaign.

𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐩𝐨 is the 2024 aged pacing male champion. He is a son of Easy Again and was bred by Al-Mar Farms. He is owned by Rick Magee and trained at Running Aces by Mikaela Del Giudice.

Antetokounmpo was a winner on Night of Champions in 1:54.1 with Dean Magee in the bike, getting up by a head over stablemate SB Bodacious in a dramatic finish.

He took a new career mark of 1:54 on September 1 with driver Brady Jenson aboard while Rick Magee is his regular pilot. He had 5 wins at Aces from seventeen starts, with earnings of $60,377. His overall summary for his 6-year-old season was 27-7-3-4.

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐱 is the aged pacing male runner-up. He is a son of Marced Card and was bred by Duane Roland. He is owned and trained by Brady Jenson.

Marc In The Box was especially sharp during July and August, posting a three-race win streak and winning 4 of six races while never worse than third. He recorded his 6-year-old seasonal mark of 1:52.4 on July 21 with Brady Jenson in the sulky.

He raced exclusively at Running Aces in 2024, and had a final summary for the season of 15-6-1-2 with earnings of $39,112.

As per tradition, the overall 2024 Minnesota Harness Racing Horse of the Year will be voted on by those in attendance at the Banquet.

by Darin Gagne, for Minnesota Harness Racing, Inc.