21-1 longshot springs Aces Open Trot upset

Columbus, MN – Among the feature races on the Sunday night (June 16) harness racing program at Running Aces was the $15,500 Open Handicap Trot which drew a solid field of eight competitors.

Newcomer Domovoy (Mooney Svendsen) had the earliest speed and commanded the affair through the early stages while Warrawee Whisper (Brady Jenson) garnered the pocket and Yo Lucky Moni (Dean Magee) floated away in third through the opening fractions of :28.1 and :57.

Warrawee Whisper tried to get by the leader with two different moves and Yo Lucky Moni watched patiently and benefitted from the battle before exploding with trot in the lane to score his second win in a row and pull the upset at 21-1 on the board.

Yo Lucky Moni (International Moni) $45.00) hit the wire in 1:55.1 for a seasonal mark, checking home a half-length ahead of Warrawee Whisper while Domovoy held third.

The winner is a 4-year-old owned by Friendship Stables and Terrence Smith and is trained by Williams Hernandez. He paid $45.00 to win.

YO LUCKY MONI REPLAY

Wherever Rio Goes (Tamarind) captured his first career win in the $17,000 Minnesota-sired sophomore ‘A’ trot to establish a career mark of 1:59.2.

Driver Sean Smithpeters floated away in fourth position early with Wherever Rio Goes while on the outside, before settling into a pylon position.

They waited for the far turn and unleashed a strong rally as the field rounded for home, sweeping up on the outside and going by his rivals to capture a 1-1/4 length tally over Last Of Braggert and Insurrectionist.

The winner is owned and trained by Alexia Kehl. He paid $14.20 to win.

WHEREVER RIO GOES REPLAY

Baby Flash (Chad Svendsen, $5.20) was back to her winning was at Running Aces on Sunday, converting a pocket trip into a three length victory in 2:00.2 for a new career mark in the $17,000 sophomore filly trot.

Baby Flash (Southwind Flash) is owned by trainer Rick Huffman as well as Keith Wilson and Brenda Lovetinsky. She now has 14 wins from 19 career starts.

Banker’s Grace was second best and longshot Magnolia Moonlight was home in third.

Robbie Burns N and owner/driver Bryan Quevedo posted their third straight win, capturing a $7,700 claiming pace in gate-to-wire fashion and stopping the timer in 1:54.

It was the 4th win in ten starts this year and the 39th career win for the 13-year-old gelding by Live Or Die who now shows total earnings of $497,147.

Drivers Todd Warren, Dean Magee and Brad Irvine, as well as trainers Laura Shock, Justin Anfinson, Williams Hernandez and Edwin Quevedo all posted doubles on the Sunday program.

Live Racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday night (June 18) with a nine-race program that will get underway at 7 p.m. (CDT).

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Darin Gagne, for Running Aces