The Sunday, May 31 program at Running Aces featured the top trotters in Minnesota with not only the Open Handicap, but two divisions of Minnesota-sired sophomores as well as the second leg of the Banker Volo Series.

In the $20,833 Open, Chapolier, with driver Luke Plano, was sent off as the 9-5 public choice from post six and was trying for his third straight trip to victory lane. Aces newcomer Fifty Rivers, with Casey Leonard, got lots of pari-mutuel support as the 2-1 second pick and Escaper, driven by Rick Magee, was also highly regarded by players, going off as the 5-2 third choice.

Go Have Fun and Brady Jenson left fast from the inside draw and faced quick challenges from both Fifty Rivers and Escaper as they wheeled around the opening turn, with Fifty Rivers briefly making the top just after the :27.3 quarter before yielding to Escaper for the pocket trip while Go Have Fun was relegated to third.

Escaper called the shots through the middle stages in :56.4 and 1:25.2 while Chapolier launched his rally from the back of the pack and Lexus Markus, with Scott Cisco, picked up the cover.

Escaper held a short lead turning for home with Chapolier bearing down on the outside as the entire filed stacked up for the stretch battle. Inside the final sixteenth of a mile, Leonard guided Fifty Rivers into the passing lane and surged to the wire to grab a quarter-length victory in 1:55.1 over Chapolier while Go Have Fun, who angled clear late, flew home to grab third money.  

Fifty Rivers, who produced a $6.60 win payout, is a four-year-old son of Fiftydallarbill-Hudson Jesse and is trained by Kathie Plested and owned by J M F Racing of Freehold, New Jersey. He now has six wins from 17 starts and earnings of $126,979 on the season.

SV Shining Star ($3) delivered as the big favourite in the $24,306 Minnesota-sired filly trot, posting a new career mark of 1:58.3 for her fourth career win. Driven by Rick Magee, the impressive daughter of Be The Best-SB Wine Is fine is trained by Justin Anfinson and owned by Jay De Long of Clinton, Wisconsin.

Also driven by Rick Magee and trained by Justin Anfinson, Bang Bang Boogie ($4.60) rallied from fourth at the top of the lane to draw away for a 2-1/2-length tally in 1:59.1 in the $24,306 colt and gelding division for his third win of the season. The New Jersey Viking-Caitrin Hall gelding is owned by Stephanie Anfinson of Kenyon, Minnesota and Kenneth Stauffer of Withee, Wisconsin.

Chicora ($2.80) made a triumphant return to Running Aces with a 2-1/2-length tally as the heavy chalk in the second leg of the Banker Volo Series in 1:58. Owned and trained by Jenni King, the five-year-old Lear Jetta-DJ Speedy Fox mare had Casey Leonard in the bike for her third career win.

In other action, two-time Minnesota champion Peanutbutterfalcon ($2.60) lowered his lifetime mark to 1:55.4 in a $12,500 conditioned trot with Scott Cisco driving the Dan Roland trainee. The four-year-old Quality Kemp-Lindys On Fire gelding is now 21-for-29 lifetime for owner/breeder Jeralene Roland of Sandstone, Minnesota.

Casey Leonard led the 10-race program with four driving wins while Scott Cisco and Rick Magee and trainers Justin Anfinson and Dan Roland all posted doubles.

Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday, June 2 at 7 p.m., with an eight-race program that will include a carryover of $7,696.63 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager, which will start in race four. 

(With files from Running Aces)