Top trotters were showcased at Running Aces on Sunday (June 26) for the second running of the Steve Wiseman Memorial.
The $35,000 event anchored a great nine-race program for the track’s ‘Whatever It Takes Race Night’, which paid tribute to the memory of Wiseman while also turning attention to colon cancer awareness and prevention. The Colon Cancer Coalition was on site for the event and there was lots of money raised and donated in Wiseman's memory.
The betting public honed in on elimination winners Susies Sister (Tony Kerwood) and All American N (Luke Plano) as the favourites in the win pool, with Susies Sister being sent off as the slight favourite by just a few dollars. Both showed final odds of 2-1 while Star Track Hanover (Dean Magee) was the third choice at 5-1 and Pridecrest (Mooney Svendsen) was 6-1 on the board.
Susies Sister lost all chance when she went off-stride just before the start, while All American N and Bordogna (Rick Magee) both sprinted from the gate to quickly settle into the leading positions. Svendsen sent Pridecrest from post seven and was looking for an early seat, which did not materialize, while Star Track Hanover made a miscue shortly after the start.
The opening panel was a solid :28.2 and Plano settled All American N into a nice rhythm on the front while Bordogna rode in the pocket at 24-1 and 60-1 longshot Hearduwhispermynam (Gerald Longo) advanced to third along the pylons. Pridecrest was forced to take back and drop in fourth during the :29.4 second panel.
Heading down the backstretch, Mind Yown Business (Brady Jenson) pulled first-up from sixth and Pridecrest moved back out with the cover as All American N turned up the third quarter speed to :28.1 and remained well in control of affairs.
Turning for home, it quickly appeared to be a two-horse race to the wire as All American N had plenty left in the tank and Bordogna rallied toward the inside. Those two battled to the wire and All American N ($6.20) prevailed by one length in a 1:55.2 mile to capture the Wiseman Memorial for the second straight year. Mind Yown Business turned for home in third but Hearduwhispermynam shook free with momentum to pick up the show dough at a huge price.
The winner is an eight-year-old son of Muscle Hill, owned and trained by Maria Alvarez from the Williams Hernandez stable. He has now won two of six starts this season, while advancing his career totals to 19 wins and $192,994 in earnings.
All American N and his connections in the winner's circle at Running Aces, lit up in blue lights in honour of Steve Wiseman.
Minnesota-sired sophomore trotters were also featured on the Sunday program, with two divisions going for $16,500 each.
The boys division went to Poko Loki (James Lackey, $11), who rallied from the back of the pack and soared through the lane for his first win of the season. He was 2-3/4 lengths clear of heavy favourite Need More Cowbell (Dean Magee) while Shadowfax (Nick Roland) came home third best in the 2:00 mile. The winner is a son of Tamarind and is owned by Ulf & Susan Holm-Johansen and also trained by the former.
Triggered posted an 8-1 upset in the filly division for her third career win. Race favourite CR Promise To You (Jenson) put up all of the fractions while Vickies Vacation (Plano) sat in the pocket. Svendsen angled Triggered ($18) into a clear path in the homestretch and rallied past the leaders for a three-quarter-length score in 1:57.2 for a new career mark. The winner is a son of Banker Volo and is owned and trained by his breeder, Robert Lems.
Drivers Brian Detgen and Luke Plano led the Sunday program with two wins each.
The 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot was hit for $7,736.08, and nobody was able to solve the 50-cent Late Pick-4, which sparks a $3,483.88 carryover for the 50-cent Early Pick-4 when racing resumes on Tuesday (June 28).
Running Aces, in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program, have announced an instant guarantee of $12,500 for Tuesday's Early Pick-4, which is offered on Races 2-5 on the program. The Late Pick-4 also offers a guaranteed pool of $5,000 and gets underway in Race 6. The Pick-4 wagers at Running Aces are offered with a minimum base wager of 50 cents. Free Past Performance race pages are available as part of the Strategic Wagering Program, and can be found on the Trackmaster website. First post is 7 p.m. (CDT).
(Running Aces)