Running Aces featured two $25,000 divisions of the Minnesota-sired sophomore pacers on Thursday, July 9 as well as the weekly $22,857 Mares Open Handicap Pace.

In the colts and geldings division, Diesel Thunder Boy and driver Josiah Miller left alertly from post five for the early lead while the race favourites Wild About Me (Nick Roland) and Cool Mr Cool (Casey Leonard) were both parked out for the fast :27.2 quarter, with Cool Mr Cool making the top and Wild About Me winding up in the pocket spot during the :28.2 second panel.

Down the backstretch, Luke Skyrocker (Luke Plano) launched a first-over bid and applied pressure to the leaders with CL Dancer (Mooney Svensden) following the cover.

Cool Mr Cool still had command at the 1:25.2 three-quarters and Wild About Me was still close in the pocket with Diesel Thunder Boy saving ground behind him. As they swung for home Cool Mr Cool began to feel the effects of the wide early trip and quick early fractions and the field stacked up for the stretch drive, with Diesel Thunder Boy shaking free and surging in the passing lane late to get up for a half-length win in 1:54.1 over Wild About Me, while Luke Skyrocker out-kicked Cool Mr Cool to pick up third money.

Diesel Thunder Boy (Aracache Hanover-Vy Hanover; pictured above) is owned by Nathalie Tremblay and Dave Kuri of Elverta, Ca. and is trained by Tremblay. The win was the first of the season and a new career mark for Diesel Thunder Boy, who returned $17.60 to win.

Starstruck Fool (Karpathian Kid-Lovin A Fool) held on gamely against pocket-sitter Hotcheddar Flirt (Svendsen) to win the filly division by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.1 with Thiskidcanfly (Nick Roland) rallying late for third. Scott Cisco was the winning pilot for owners Jeri and Briar Roland of Sandstone, Minn. and trainer Dan Roland. Last year's divisional champion now shows four wins from seven starts this year, with a 11-5-0 summary from 17 appearances and $181,335 in earnings. She paid $3.40 to win.

K T Part E ($3) lived up to the hype as the 1-2 favourite in the Mares Open event for owner-trainer-driver Brady Jenson of Washington, Pa., holding on by a head in 1:51 for a gate-to-wire tally over pocket-sitter Premier Desirey (Luke Plano) with Fillister Photo (Leonard) checking in third.

The win was the seventh of the season for K T Part E, a daughter of Cattlewash-Fine China now with 17 career wins and $173,204 in earnings.

Drivers Brady Jenson, Scott Cisco, Luke Plano and Nick Roland all had doubles on the card, while Jenson also posted a training triple and Plano a training double.

Live harness acing returns to Running Aces on Sunday, July 12 for "Circus Night at the Races" which will feature Circus performances by Circus Juventas in between races, as well as "Pepsi Family Night" specials and kid's activities, trout fishing, food trucks, Sole Survivor contest and more. Ten races are on tap with first post at 6 p.m. (CDT).

(with files from Running Aces)