Illusion Seal Star and Apple Juice take center stage at Running Aces on Thursday
May 31, 2024,
Columbus, Minnesota – Thursday night's (May 30) harness racing program at Running Aces Racetrack featured a packed lineup of notable events, including the $15,500 Mares Open Handicap Pace, three Minnesota-bred 2-year-old Pace divisions with a purse of $41,000 and two divisions in the Burning Blaze Pace Series.
Illusion Seal Star took a late lead to win the Mares Open Handicap at Running Aces Racecourse on Thursday in 1:52.3. Photo by Nicole Tate.
Illusion Seal Star (State Treasurer) started from post 5 as the 4th-5th favourite in the nine-horse race and was a hot topic on the filly and mare prediction boards.
Driver Jacob Cutting burst out of the gate in sixth place, while Two Pistol Annie (James Kennedy) and Ain't See Special (Luke Plano) both started from the outside posts and took the lead early in times of 27 and 56.2 seconds.
Cutting fell near the halfway mark and trailed Better Double Flip (Todd Warren), and as the field headed into the long turn, the pair quickly overtook the leaders, with Better Double Flip taking the lead near the third checkpoint in 1:24.3.
Illusion Seal Star made a strong push down the straight to take her to the front of her lane, while Better Double Flip fought back and Premier Delight and Graceful Horizon came from behind to finish third and fourth respectively.
Illusion Seal Star ($3.80) stayed strong late to win by 2-3/4 lengths, stopping in 1:52.3, while Better Double Flip was a clear second.
The winner, a 4-year-old colt trained by Williams Hernandez, has won four of his 10 starts this year, earning owner Terrence Smith $42,800 in prize money for the season.
Minnesota Harness Racing Horse of the Year Apple Juice (Fancy Schmancy) returned to the $17,000 2-Year-Old Fillies A-Pace on Thursday and did not disappoint fans or pari-mutuel backers, putting in a sharp performance to claim her first win of the year.
Cutting steered behind Applejuice and they quickly took the lead, while arch rival Deja Vu Baby Boo (Nick Rowland) also quickly got off the horse and secured the pocket, and the two dominated the race, eventually battling it out in the final 1/16th of a mile, with Applejuice holding off his rival by half a length to tie his personal best in 1:54.2.
Apple Juice ($3) now has nine wins from 16 starts and has earned owner/trainer/breeder Scott Bannitt $112,353 in winnings.
Rock Like a Hurricane (Todd Warren, $5.20) won the $8,500 2-year-old “B” pace in a gutsy fashion, beating Bupaz Double Knot and Lovely Norma Jean by a neck in 1 minute, 58 seconds. The winner is owned by Alan and Cheryl Sandbulte and trained by Justin Anfinson.
Celebrity Status (Roland, $6.40) won the $17,000 2-year-old colt pace in a personal best time of 1:56.2 over Flashing Art and Moon Kid Photo. The winner is owned by Set the Pace Racing and trained by Roland.
Winners of the first race of the Burning Blaze Pace Series were Stay Information Dance (Cutting, $4), owned by owner/trainer Elson Miller, in 1:55.1, and Charming Six (Dean McGee, $2.60), owned by owner/trainer Larry Feilbach and additional owners Claire Vanden Berg and Brent Feilbach, in 1:54.3.
Driver Jacob Cutting recorded four wins during Thursday night's program, completing his first “grand slam” of the Ace season.
Brady Jenson had a double win with his drive and training, while trainer Elson Miller also had two wins with his horses.
Live racing returns to Running Aces on Sunday evening (June 2nd) with a 12-race program starting at 6pm CDT.
