After a year away from the races, Burning Blaze — the 2018 Harness Horse of the Year in Minnesota — will make his first start at Running Aces since his sophomore campaign on Tuesday (May 18).

The now five-year-old son of Wind Me Up was sidelined from the races in 2020, after completing stellar campaigns at ages two and three. The very sharp and easily identifiable gelding started his 2021 comeback campaign with two races at the Cannon Falls fair earlier this month, picking up a win and a solid second-place finish. Justin Anfinson trains the star pacer for owners Alan and Cheryl Sandbulte of Iowa, and Edward Gutin of New York. Burning Blaze has won 13 of 27 career races, with 24 top-three finishes, for earnings of $119,720 and sports a career mark of 1:53.2f taken at Running Aces at age three. Rick Magee will be in the sulky on Tuesday night, and the pair are listed at 6-1 on the morning line in the $5,200 conditioned pace.

The featured event on the Tuesday card is the $11,000 Open Handicap Pace, and the event drew a solid field of six to face the starter in the sixth race on the program. Numbered Account is the 9-5 morning line choice from post six with Nick Roland in the bike, and he makes his Aces debut for trainer Justin Anfinson and owner Cathy Dessert. The five-year-old gelding romped in his local qualifier with a 7-3/4 length score in 1:54.2, and sports a 1:49.4 career mark taken at Dover Downs back in January.

Trainer Rick Bertrand sends out a strong two-horse entry in this event, with his six-year-old gelding Solongo (Luke Plano, 5-2) facing open company for the first time and trying for his seventh straight win. The other Bertrand starter will be Frewil Dakota Sven (Jacob Cutting, 7-2), a six-year-old Minnesota-Sired gelding who has recently been racing sharp at the Open level at Cal Expo and has won six of 17 starts this year.

Running Aces now offers the very unique 20 cent Place Pick-All wager, starting in the first race each night. The bet does not have a carryover or jackpot; all of the money wagered is paid out to the best ticket(s) each night. Players were very enthusiastic about the new wager on the opening night (Sunday) card. The new reduced minimum wagers on Trifectas (50 cents) and Superfectas (10 cents) were very popular on opening night as well, and track officials were very pleased with the pool totals for all of the new bets.

First post time for live harness racing at Running Aces is 6:05 (CDT) every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

(Running Aces)