Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack announced on Monday, Nov. 25 that its race dates for the 2025 meet, the 18th in its history, have been approved by the Minnesota Racing Commission.

The 2025 live harness racing season will get underway on Sunday, May 18 and conclude on Saturday, Sept. 20, with a total of 55 nights of racing on tap.  

The racing schedule will be similar to the last couple of seasons, featuring live action three nights per week on a Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday basis. The only exception will be in the final week of the meet in which Running Aces will be dark on Thursday, Sept. 18 in preparation for special Friday, Sept. 19 and Saturday, Sept. 20 cards to conclude the meet with Minnesota Night of Champions festivities.  

Post time for all Tuesday evening race cards will be at 7 p.m. (CDT) while post time for all other race nights will be at 6 p.m. (CDT).       

The 2024 meet featured many exciting moments and outstanding performances. Three-year-old Minnesota-sired trotter DP Freedoms Chrome, trained by Elvin Zimmerman, concluded an immaculate season at Aces winning all 11 of his starts, including his victory on Night of Champions on Sept. 21. There was a new all-age track record established on the trot by Domovoy, trained by Edwin Quevedo, with his 1:53 clocking on June 23. On the pacing side, Muskateer Hanover set a new Aces record in his elimination of The Dan Patch in 1:49.1 for trainer Brady Jenson.  And speaking of Jenson, he had an outstanding 2024 campaign, winning both the leading trainer and driver titles.

Total purses for the 2025 meet once again are projected to surpass $6 million USD, as they have during the track's previous three seasons. Highlighting for the Minnesota five-eighths-mile oval will again be the $50,000 USD Dan Patch (Free-For-All pacers), the $35,000 USD Ron Banks Memorial (Free-For-All filly and mare pacers) and the $35,000 USD Steve Wiseman Memorial (Free-For-All trotters). Of course, as always, all eyes are pointed to the final night of the meet, Saturday, Sept. 20, Minnesota Night of Champions. In 2024, a record-equalling single-card total of $780,000 USD was distributed on Closing Night to the best and brightest stars of the Minnesota-sired program.          

The stable area is scheduled to open on Sunday, May 4 with the first pre-season qualifying session scheduled for Thursday, May 8 over the Minnesota five-eighths-mile oval.     

Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack plans to begin accepting stalls applications in mid-January of the new year for the 2025 racing season.  

Questions regarding stall applications, race conditions or any other racing related inquiries should be directed to Racing Director Steve Carpenito by calling 651-925-4532 or emailing [email protected]. 

(Running Aces)